Niners pay respects to Dean
The 49ers honored Hall of Famer Fred Dean on Sunday night at Levi’s Stadium, holding a moment of silence prior to their game with the Los Angeles Rams and having their players wear a No. 74 decal on the back of their helmets.
Dean, who had contracted the coronavirus and had been on a ventilator, according to former teammate Dwight Hicks, passed away Wednesday in his native Louisiana. He was 68.
Dean played for San Francisco from 1981-85 and was a huge force in the 49ers’ first two Super Bowl titles.
Dean helped transformthe 49ers into Super Bowl champions when he was acquired in a trade with the Chargers early in the 1981 season. Although the NFL didn’t start officially counting quarterback sacks until 1982, Dean’s arrival and constant pressure on opposing quarterbacks paved the way to a Super Bowl XVI win over Cincinnati at the end of the 1981 season.
Dean had 17.5 sacks with San Francisco in 1983, which stood as a franchise record until Aldon Smith had 19.5 sacks in 2012.
In 1983, Dean was again named an All-Pro before capturing his second Super Bowl with the 49ers after the 1984
season. He retired after the 1985 season and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
Left tackle Joe Staley wore No. 74 the previous 13 seasons before he retired in April.
BACKUP PLAN » Quarterback Nick Mullens reclaimed his role as Jimmy Garoppolo’s backup for Sunday’s game.
Mullens fell out of favor after a three-turnover performance in the 49ers’ last prime-time game, a 25-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 4. C. J. Beathard replacedMullens for the final six minutes of the fourth quarter and impressed in a comeback attempt.
Garoppolo had played only the first half in his past two starts before Sunday. A Sept. 20 ankle injury got him pulled at halftime against the New York Jets in Week 2, and his wildness last Sunday got him
benched in favor of Beathard in the 43-17 loss against the Miami Dolphins.
MR. SUNDAY NIGHT » Receiver Deebo Samuel caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Garoppolo in the first quarter on the 49ers’ first drive of the game. He finished the first half with four catches for 57 yards. In three previous career games on Sunday Night Football, Samuel had 10 receptions for 187 yards and one touchdown. He also had three rushes
for 43 yards and one touchdown.
WIDE VARIETY » The 49ers activated Richie James off injured reserve Saturday and called up Kevin White off the practice squad for the second straight week. For Sunday, the 49ers, with the NFL’s 20th- ranked passing attack, had seven available wide receivers. Dante Pettis was inactive for a second straight game. WELCOME RETURN » Emmanuel Moseley returned
to an injury-plagued cornerback crew Sunday after he hadmissed the past two games with a concussion. Richard Sherman, whose calf injury has kept him out since Week 2, could also miss next week’s visit to New England, based on Kyle Shanahan’s cautious comments.
Starting in the secondary Sunday were cornerbacks Moseley and Jason Verrett and safeties Jaquiski Tartt and Jimmie Ward.
INACTIVES » Running back Jeff Wilson Jr. sat out Sunday’s game. He was listed Friday as questionable because of a calf injury that kept him out of practice Thursday and Friday. . The 49ers also did not dress linebacker Kwon Alexander (ankle) and defensive lineman Darrion Daniels, who was called up fromthe practice squad Saturday.
Dre Greenlaw and Azeez Al- Shaair partnered with Fred Warner on the linebacker corps. D. J. Jones (eye) suited up, so the 49ers did not need Daniels.