5. MASON ‘A STUD’
Jordan Mason has an NFL-leading 447 rushing yards through his first four career starts. A year ago,
SANTA CLARA – Before we race through the 10 things that caught my eye Sunday in the 49ers’ 30-13 confidence booster over the New England Patriots, bear with me as I devote extra space to this opening item:
1. HELLO SAM-O
The more that Sam Okuayinonu detailed the adversity he has overcome in his life, the more striking it contrasted to Nick Bosa’s, and the more fun it was to envision them blossoming into a pass-rushing duo.
“My whole life has been adversity,” Okuayinonu said with a smile at his locker. “I grew up in Liberia, on the west coast of Africa. I was born during a civil war out there. My and my mom migrated to America at the age of 12.
“I started playing football my senior year of high school. I went to a couple of junior colleges because I was fresh to the game. I’m very new to football and still learning the game.”
San Francisco 49ers’ Sam Okuayinonu (91) stands on the sidelines during their game against the New England Patriots in the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Bosa, a second-generation NFL player and a star since his South Florida youth, is happy to be mentoring Okuayinonu. “He sits right next to me in meetings and he always asks me stuff,” Bosa said. “He’s only going to get better. I’m really happy for him.”
Okuayinonu bounced from high school in Lowell (Mass.) to community colleges in Massachusetts, Mississippi and Minnesota before transferring to Maryland. Undrafted, he spent most of the past two seasons on the Tennessee Titans’ practice squads before the 49ers signed him to their practice squad on Jan. 10 during their Super Bowl run.
“I love it all, man, because it makes a great story,” said Okuayinonu, whose breakout performance Sunday was the type of next-man-up stuff that injury-riddled teams must receive. Promoted to the 53-man roster Saturday from the practice squad, he forced a fumble to open the 49ers’ second series. He later put a big hit on quarterback Jacoby Brissett, made a tackle for a 7-yard loss, and earned a spot in a defensive-end rotation with Yetur Gross-Matos and Robert Beal behind Bosa and Leonard Floyd.
“He probably played no more than 15 plays (19 of 64 actually) and probably affected 10 of them,” Bosa said. “To have a guy like that to give some of our starters a rest and make an impact like that, it’s huge for us.”
San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Brock Purdy (13) high-fives 49ers mascot Sourdough Sam as he leaves the field after the 49ers 30-13 win over the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
2. PURDY TOPS CHARTS
Do you know where Brock Purdy ranks after his 25th career start? His 112.6 passer rating is the NFL’s best since at least 1970, and he’s set 49ers records for passing yards (6,508; Jeff Garcia 6,470), …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
