Joe Staley, the longest-tenured 49er, was nearly pushed to retirement two years ago. The left tackle told the Sacramento Bee’s Chris Biderman that the 2016 campaign nearly pushed him over the edge and out of the NFL.
The 49ers’ 2016 season was arguably the worst in franchise history. They went 2-14 to cap a disastrous run that was catalyzed by Jim Harbaugh’s tumultuous final season in San Francisco – an 8-8 finish in 2014. The next two years were characterized by two coaching changes, seven total wins, and the continued demolition of a once great roster.
Staley, who was 32 when the 2016 season ended, nearly quit. He’d seen plenty of bad times throughout his 10 years with the 49ers, but the environment in Santa Clara was such that it stopped being fun for the six-time Pro Bowler. He told Biderman he contemplated retirement after that disastrous 2016 season.
“It wasn’t like you’d stick around and hang out with your buddies. It was like, alright, I’m here to do a job,” Staley said. “I’m going to clock in and then I’m leaving. Because I can’t wait to get home and get away from this chaos.”
New head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have helped turn over the 49ers’ once capsized boat. Staley said the new regime makes it “fun to come to work every day.”
At 34-years-old, Staley has passed his prime, but he’s still an invaluable member of the 49ers on and off the field. He’s the anchor on their offensive line guarding Jimmy Garoppolo’s blind side, and he’s one of the orchestrators of the team’s new, fun-loving locker room.
Of all the moves that were made over the last few years for the 49ers, Staley’s decision to stick around has turned into one of the most important.
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