Hoping past stars’ success can rub off
After he became the general manager of a 2-14 team, John Lynch talked about changing the 49ers’ culture and reconnecting with the team’s Hall of Fame alumni.
On Monday morning, former receiver Jerry Rice and exquarterback Steve Young addressed the team before practice. The focus of their message: the culture that pervaded the franchise when it was winning Super Bowls.
Young, for example, shared that he always made sure a coach sent him the game plan a day early so he had extra time to prepare.
“So now,” safety Eric Reid said, “I want to do that with my coach.”
The presence of Rice and Young, who were rarely seen at the team’s facility in recent years, provided players with practical tips on how to replicate the 49ers’ past success.
“When you are talking about the culture, and you have those guys here that won Super Bowls — that knew what it took,” Reid said. “It’s the vibe. It’s all about the vibe. When you walk in the building and you see those faces and, you’re like, ‘Man, that’s greatness right there.’ And you ask them how they did it and they can give you little nuggets.”
Rice and Young were present at the start of practice, although they were in vastly different wardrobes. Young, 55, in a blue dress shirt and slacks, left during practice. Meanwhile, Rice, 54, was outfitted in team-issued gear (cleats, T-shirt, shorts) and sported gloves and two wristbands on each arm.
Rice went through warm-ups and individual drills with players. He then ran shadow routes, lining up about 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage, during team drills. On two plays, Rice unwittingly sprinted out of his of stance and nearly into danger when 49ers running backs ran sweeps toward the left sideline.
Before practice, Young relayed a story about Rice running routes at the facility … the day after a Super Bowl parade.
Young “asked him what he was doing and he said, ‘Man, someone is coming to get my job next year,’ ” Reid said. “So he’s fresh off a Super Bowl and he’s training for the next one. That’s why he was the greatest.” Safety issue: The 49ers’ safety position took another blow as promising undrafted rookie Chanceller James was waived with an injury designation after he suffered a knee injury in the preseason opener Friday.
James was playing with the second team because of injuries to Jimmie Ward (hamstring) and Jaquiski Tartt (rib).
On Sunday, Ward tested his injury during what defensive coordinator Robert Saleh termed a “promising” workout, but he remains on the physically-unable-to-perform list. Tartt didn’t play in the exhibition opener.
James’ injury prompted the 49ers to move rookie Adrian Colbert, a seventh-round pick, from cornerback to safety Monday. Colbert responded with two interceptions in practice.
Saleh said Colbert had a “good chance” to be “pretty good” at both cornerback and safety. “We threw him back there at free safety because he’s got such great speed, and he’s a really, really aggressive football player,” Saleh said.
The 49ers, who waived undrafted rookie offensive lineman Richard Levy on Sunday, filled their two roster spots by signing guard Andrew Gardner, 31, and defensive lineman Leger Douzable, 31.
Injury report: Linebacker Aaron Lynch suffered an apparent ankle injury during team drills, but he walked off slowly with a trainer without assistance. Nose tackle Earl Mitchell also left early with an unspecified injury that didn’t appear serious.