Burford gives back as career takes off
As he prepared to suit up for the Super Bowl as a 23-year-old in his second professional season, San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Spencer Burford was reminded again and again of how fleeting the opportunity can be.
A product of Wagner and UTSA, Burford understood how many people had never appeared on the sport’s biggest stage, hearing from players who had spent 10 or 15 years in the league and coaches who had been around for more than 30.
So, when the game arrived, Burford wanted to embrace all the highs and the lows of the occasion. He was celebrated for a critical block that allowed Christian Mccaffrey to break free for a 21-yard touchdown on a wide receiver pass, and he experienced the pain of a 25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs that pushed the focus to next year, even as he knows a return trip is far from guaranteed.
“People go their whole lives and whole careers dreaming about something like that, so just soaking everything in,” Burford said. “It’s a blessing. I’m just glad to make a positive impact.”
Just three weeks after playing in front of more than 100 million television viewers, Burford was back at his childhood home in San Antonio, staying with his mother, Barretta, in the same bedroom he used during his days at Wagner.
He still tries to spend a few weeks in his home city when time allows during the offseason, feeling the love and support from San Antonio throughout the start of his NFL career. He aims to return the favor by engaging with the community, speaking to a group of Wagner players and youth flag football participants about his football journey during an event Sunday at the Frost Bank Center ahead of that night’s Spurs game against the Pacers.
“It really just reminds me that I’m doing something bigger than myself. I can impact other
people’s lives with what I’m doing on the field,” Burford said. “That gives me a whole other job, a whole other type of discipline to make sure I put myself in the best position to support those people that support me, making sure I can still be that staple in the community that they need in order to give hope.”
Burford outlined his path from San Antonio youth leagues to the NFL, reflecting on his shift from defense to offense at Wagner, his tenure as an instant starter trying to help build the program at UTSA, and the process of being drafted and quickly thrust into another starting role with the 49ers.
Though an impacted fracture in his knee cost him his starting spot late in the 2023 season, Burford became San Francisco’s primary right guard for most of the Super Bowl following an injury
to starter Jon Feliciano.
He advised the next generation of Wagner players Sunday about the benefits of buying into their coaching, the importance of finding balance with life outside of football, the need to block outside noise, and the way a high school career can pass in a flash.
“I have guys call my phone out of regret, just saying, ‘I wish I would’ve went up there and worked out with you. I wish I would’ve done this or that,’ ” Burford said. “Don’t be an ‘I wish’ guy. That’s my biggest thing. If you have an opportunity, take advantage of it.”
Wagner senior right tackle Jaiden Morin, one of the players in attendance Sunday, said Burford’s success “gives inspiration to the city of San Antonio,” reminding younger generations about what’s possible.
Noe Quiroz, a senior center for the Thunderbirds, said Burford’s rise helped push him to earn the opportunity to play
football and study electrical engineering at Eastern New Mexico University.
“Ever since I saw him, he’s always been a great inspiration to me,” Quiroz said. “When he went to UTSA, that was really cool. I’ve always dreamed of going to the next level, and he was one of my inspirations.”
Wagner coach Jason Starin, who was Burford’s offensive line coach and became the program’s offensive coordinator before elevating to the head job in 2021, said Burford’s success helps sell future classes of Thunderbirds on their potential.
“We want to provide hope, and not every student has that hope,” Starin said. “Some kids are going to look at this example and see themselves in Spencer.”
Burford said he continues to keep in touch with many of his former teammates at UTSA, and coach Jeff Traylor said he and Burford shared a laugh about the Mccaffrey touchdown play spurred by Burford’s critical block. When the Roadrunners dialed up a similar call during Burford’s tenure, he slipped and was penalized for blocking below the waist.
“At least he didn’t fall in the Super Bowl,” Traylor said.
Burford’s success has been a source of pride for the Roadrunners community, Traylor said, with alumna April Ancira pledging a $9,000 donation to UTSA football in connection with Burford’s Super Bowl appearance.
Many of the players who are fixtures on UTSA’S
offensive line shared a locker room with Burford through the early years of their development.
“What an amazing role model for us,” center Luke Lapeze said. “He is just the pinnacle of what we want to be. He was such a great leader when he was here, and he is such a great role model for us in that room to try to strive to be like Spencer.”
Through his early years in the NFL, Burford said the biggest lesson he’s learned is the common adage that the league’s acronym stands for “not for long.”
He continues to train three or four times per day to “clean up all the mistakes I need to, to become the best player I can be,” he said, harboring aspirations far beyond simply sticking in the league or making another Super Bowl run.
“I’m trying to be an Allpro. I’m trying to be a legendary player in the NFL,” Burford said. “I’m trying to leave my mark.”