Journeyman back Mostert becomes star for 49ers

SANTA CLARA, CALIF. >> Before taking the field each week, Raheem Mostert seeks out motivation.

There it is in a list of all the times he’s been cut by NFL teams. The Eagles, Miami and Baltimore all let Mostert go in 2015. Cleveland, the Jets and Chicago all sent him packing the following year before he finally ended up on San Francisco’s practice squad.

That unlikely path that saw Mostert get cut almost as many times as he was handed the ball his first three seasons somehow has led to the Super Bowl after he posted one of the greatest postseason performances ever by a running back.

“The journey’s been crazy,” Mostert said. “Not everybody can deal with that type of stress and pain and agony that I went through. But like I said, I kept the faith in not only myself but whoever gave me the opportunity.” Mostert led the 49ers in rushing this season with 772 yards and provided the signature performance of his career on the big stage of the NFC championship game when he ran for 220 yards and four touchdowns in a 37-20 win over Green Bay.

Mostert wasn’t sure this day would ever come. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Eagles in 2015. He was cut before the season and then signed to the practice squad before being picked up by Miami and spending a month with the Dolphins.

He was then claimed by Baltimore and spent two months there before signing with Cleveland late that season. He spent the entire offseason with the Browns and thought he had made the team when he was on the initial 53-man roster only to get the bad news a day later.

“It just made me stronger,” he said. “I got immune to being cut. I wanted to show the world what I can do.”