Week of buzz about to hit 49ers
MIAMI, FLA. >> When the 49ers’ step off their charter flight shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday at Miami International Airport, the distractions of Super Bowl week will be waiting for them at baggage claim.
Joe Staley offered players sage advice before their trip: Just say no.
Better yet, designate someone else to say no to all the requests coming their way for time, tickets, meet-ups and non-football revelry.
“I tell my mom and my wife, ‘Hey, you’re going to be the ‘No’ person,’ “Staley said recently. “We’re going to have a set dinner we’ll go to, but this is a business
trip for me.
“I tell a lot of the guys the same thing: manage the expectations of your family, what you’re supposed to do down there, and really focus on the game.”
Staley is the only active holdover from the 49ers’ 2012 team that reached the Super Bowl, a 3431 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in New Orleans.
The only 49ers with Super Bowl experience in past stops are wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (2010 Steelers; 2015 Broncos), cornerback Richard Sherman (2013-14 Seahawks), kicker Robbie Gould (‘16 Bears), running back Tevin Coleman (‘16 Falcons), guard Ben Garland (‘16 Falcons), tight end Levine Toilolo (‘16 Falcons) and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (2014, ‘16 Patriots).
What does that experience buy them?
“It’s overrated,” Sherman said. “Before I won the Super Bowl, we didn’t have any experience and we won the game 43-8. It didn’t make a difference. It was a football game.”
Only Sherman (2013), Sanders (2015), and Garoppolo (2014, ‘16) own championship rings.
“By the time we get out to Miami, it’s going to be chaos,” Sand
ers said Thursday. “We’ve got Media Day (Monday night). We’ve got all kind of obligations.
“It’s not going to be like a regular schedule that we are used to in terms of getting off of work, going home, hanging out at home. You’re going to be pulled left and right in terms of different obligations that you’ve got to do.”
The 49ers will fly in nearly 1,500 staff members and their spouses on multiple charter flights Thursday to join the Super Bowl Week festivities.
It will be a homecoming of sorts for the handful of players who call Florida
home, including Nick Bosa (Fort Lauderdale), Matt Breida (Brandon), Raheem Mostert (New Smyrna Beach), Richie James Jr. (Sarasota), Azeez Al-Shaair (Tampa) and Marcell Harris (Orlando).
“It’s really awesome, to be in my hometown,” Bosa said. “I went to a lot of Dolphins games; my dad (John) played for the Dolphins (1987-89). To be back in that stadium, I played a few high school games in there. It’s obviously a pretty big moment for us.”
The 49ers will be staying in downtown Miami at the JW Marriott Marquis, some five miles over the A1A bridge to South Beach, and some 14 miles south of Hard Rock Stadium.
Monday night, the 49ers will travel a couple miles
to Marlins Park and follow the Chiefs for Super Bowl Opening Night, otherwise known as the annual Media Day circus (or Media Night, now).
Seven years ago, Media Day spawned controversy, when then-cornerback Chris Culliver made anti-gay statements to a radio shock-jock, prompting him, CEO Jed York and many others to apologize.
“You have to remain focused and know not to say something silly at Opening Night. Don’t do something silly during the week,” York said in recalling Super Bowl XLVII.
“It reinforces how important it is to just do your job for that week, especially in a place like Miami where it’s very easy to go have fun and do things.
I promise our players and coaches there’s a long time to go party after Feb. 2.”
Defensive tackle Solomon Thomas said that message has been heard loud and clear. He’s never explored Miami Beach and is excited to get there. But, as Thomas said: “We can do all the exploring afterward. That’s the coaches’ message.”
Garoppolo’s message is that he’s fully prepared for what awaits him, having learned from six-time champion Tom Brady to take a calm approach.
“Obviously being a starter, it’s s a little different with time management and everything,” Garoppolo said. “But, just having seen all that, being up close and personal with it, I think all that will help me.”