Chiefs’ Watkins may ‘chill out’ and sit next year
MIAMI — Sammy Watkins, one of the Chiefs’ most important offensive players, dropped a bit of a Super Bowl week bomb on Thursday when he hinted that he might sit out the 2020 season.
The talented receiver said he’s considering his options after the Super Bowl and one of those options is to “chill out’’ next season.
This talk is taking place because the 26-year-old Watkins, who signed a three-year, $48 million deal with the Chiefs in 2018, is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2020 season. He’s scheduled to make $14 million in 2020, but none of it is guaranteed. And the Chiefs presumably might be preparing to lock up star quarterback Patrick Mahomes with a gigantic new contract.
When asked Thursday about possibly renegotiating his contract, Watkins said, “If it suits me and my family and [meets] my needs, for sure. But I’m really in a different space right now. I don’t know what I’m going to do. If we win [the Super Bowl], I might chill out. I might sit out a year. You just never know.
“[I’m] not retiring, but I might just want to rest up and chill. I don’t want to say I’m going to do something, but you never know. I might want to go somewhere else and create another Super Bowl team. So, it’s just all about how I’m feeling. I’ve got to sit down with my family, my parents and grandparents and everybody and just see what I want to do.’’
Jimmy G latest star Niners QB
Jimmy Garoppolo knows his 49ers history and because he does, he understands what it means to be the quarterback to take this franchise into a Super Bowl.
“It’s an honor,’’ Garoppolo said this week. “I was too young for [ Joe] Montana, obviously. [ Steve] Young probably too young. Those two guys really set the standard here for quarterbacks.’’
Both teams healthy
The 49ers are getting healthier, just in time. LB
Kwon Alexander (pectoral), RB Tevin Coleman (shoulder) and S Jaquiski Tartt (ribs) were limited in practice Thursday for the second straight day. “No change,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “They’re going to be good to go.” The players on the Chiefs’ injury report — DL Chris Jones, TE Travis Kelce, C Austin Reiter and TE
Deon Yelder — practiced with no issues. … Chiefs coach Andy Reid had Donovan McNabb, his former quarterback with the Eagles, address his team before practice. “He’s been there and done it,’’ Reid said.
Jets’ Copeland earns award
The NFL Players Association awarded Jets linebacker
Brandon Copeland with the 2020 Alan Page Community Award on Thursday.
The award is the highest honor given by the NFLPA to a player each year. Copeland will receive a $100,000 donation toward his Beyond the Basics foundation.
Copeland organized a shopping spree at Target in December for 300 underprivileged children. He also encouraged NFL players around the country to do the same.