Four 49ers, two Raiders named to 2020 Pro Bowl.
It’s the largest group since 2013, but there were quite a few notable snubs
SANTA CLARA >> Nick Bosa, George Kittle, Kyle Juszczyk and Richard Sherman make up the 49ers’ largest Pro Bowl contingent since their last playoff run, in 2013.
Among those shunned: Arik Armstead (team-high 10 sacks); DeForest Buckner (Pro Bowler last season); special-teams ace Raheem Mostert (their leading rusher); Fred Warner (team-high 104 tackles) and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
“We should have had a couple more, but it says we have a really good team and a lot of guys playing at a high level,”
Kittle said.
Would coach Kyle Shanahan prefer a convoy of Pro Bowl-bound players or just enough snubs to further fuel the 49ers (11-3)?
“I would love anything that gets guys to play better, but the Pro Bowl doesn’t mean much in terms of anything for the team or what it does for the team,” Shanahan replied hours before Pro Bowl selections were announced Tuesday.
“It’s really cool for those guys, so I want everyone to get a Pro Bowl vote who deserves it,” Shanahan added. “We’ve got a lot of guys who deserve it, but I try to tell them, don’t put too much into it because not everyone who deserves to go to the Pro Bowl goes to the Pro Bowl.”
There’s no debating the 49ers’ Pro Bowl-bound quartet.
• Bosa earned more fan votes than any other NFL defender, having totaled nine sacks as the No. 2 overall draft pick.
• Kittle is the 49ers’ heartbeat through both his receiving and blocking expertise. He has a team-high 73 catches for
888 yards and four touchdowns in earning his second straight Pro Bowl spot.
• Juszczyk is heading to his fourth straight Pro Bowl, and not just because of the dearth of challengers but rather his overall value, most notably as a lead blocker.
• Sherman is now a fivetime Pro Bowl cornerback, having earned honors from 2013-16 with the Seattle Seahawks.
He returned the first of his three interceptions this season for a touchdown to help the 49ers win their opener at Tampa Bay.
As for those who got shunned, several are likely Pro Bowl alternates and could get summoned as replacements, although the 49ers surely would prefer avoiding the Jan. 26 allstar game in Orlando if it means they’re flying into Miami to start Super Bowl preparations.
The 49ers who are Pro Bowl alternates:
• Mostert was on the ballot for his special-team exploits (team-high 12 tackles) and may be the league’s best gunner in coverage. The 49ers tapped into his speed to bolster their rushing attack, and he’s run for a team-high 662 yards.
• Armstead drew the most fan votes of any defensive tackle, recognition for his career-best season while playing on a fifthyear option ($9 million). He’s lined up both at defensive end in the base formation and inside on passing downs.
• Buckner made it to the Pro Bowl as an alternate last season, and, most likely, he and Armstead drew enough votes to cancel out each other in this year’s voting, not to mention stiff competition from the NFC’s other defensive tackles.
Buckner is their thirdleading tackler and has recovered four fumbles while forcing two.
• Garoppolo has started every game and taken every meaningful snap in his return from last season’s knee injury.
He’s completed 69.1-percent of his passes (295 of 427) for 3,455 yards with 26 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 102.8 passer rating.
• Warner won NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November and leads the 49ers with 104 tackles, three forced fumbles, three sacks and eight passes defensed.
• Guard Laken Tomlinson would have been a worthy representative of an offensive line that’s been key to one of the NFL’s most productive units. Instead, left tackle Joe Staley and center Weston Richburg earned alternate status.
• Free safety Jimmie Ward is also a Pro Bowl alternate as he’s managed to stay healthy and contribute both in pass coverage and run support.
• Shanahan’s message to the 49ers: the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed is still within reach.
“It’s good to hear,” Garoppolo said. “Just getting that realization back in our mind that we do control our own destiny, if we handle business, we’ll be in a good spot.
“We’ve got to take it one game at a time, it starts with the Rams and we’ll take it from there.”
Stunned by the Atlanta Falcons in the final seconds of Sunday’s 29-22 home loss, the 49ers (113) remain in contention to land home-field advantage with their first playoff berth since 2013.
Their fate ultimately will be determined Dec. 29 at Seattle (11-3) and after this Saturday night’s visit by the Los Angeles Rams (8-6).
•Sherman (hamstring) and K’Waun Williams (concussion) were cleared for full practice after sitting out last game.
Still not practicing are strong safety Jaquiski Tartt (ribs), defensive end Dee Ford (hamstring) and defensive tackle Jullian Taylor (elbow). Guard Mike Person (neck) is a limited participant.
Shanahan called it a “long shot” that linebacker Kwon Alexander comes off injured reserve and returns for the playoffs, having torn a pectoral muscle Oct. 31.
However, Shanahan said the 49ers are not ruling out that possibility, and Alexander was videotaped working out Monday by wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, who captioned the video: “Kwon says he comin’ back this year.”
• The 49ers’ used one of their two short-term injured reserve designations to activate defensive tackle Kentavius Street on Saturday, and he debuted with 11 snaps against the Falcons.