2021: Kickoff Premium Edition

Left: Deebo Samuel was limited to just seven games for the 49ers last season because of injuries, but when healthy, the 2019 second-round draft pick and Brandon Aiyuk form one of the most dynamic wide receiver tandems in the NFL.

More than just a game

STORY BY BUD GERACIE ILLUSTRATION BY JEFF DURHAM

Most boys of my generation bonded with their dads over baseball.

My dad and I bonded over football. That wouldn’t be at all unusual today; pro football is king. But in the mid-1960s, baseball was America’s pastime.

We were hardly pioneers or visionaries, my dad and I. Coming of age in Milwaukee at that time, there was no baseball team. The Braves had left for Atlanta after the 1965 season before I was old enough to know what I would be missing. The only baseball in Milwaukee was the annual Policemen-Firemen game. We were regular attendees of that game not because my father was baseball-starved, but because the game always coincided with a family event he didn’t want to attend.

And we had the Packers, the world champion Green Bay Packers of Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Willie Davis, Ray Nitschke, Willie Wood. I could go on. I still can recite the jersey numbers of every one of them — not just these Hall of Famers — but pretty much anyone on the roster.

I came aboard during the 1965 season, the season that culminated in a championship, the first of three in a row for the Packers and one of five they would win from 1959-1967. I missed that championship game in 1965, a 23-12 win over Jim Brown and the Cleveland Browns in the rain

and mud at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. I was 7. I went to see “Mary Poppins” with my sisters. I refuse to believe this was my idea.

It was the last game I missed for many years. That said, I missed just about every big play in the Packers’ glory years. I had become so deeply attached to the team and its fortunes that a loss would devastate me for most of a week. Fortunately, the Packers didn’t lose often. They lost only nine times in those three years.

And still ye of little faith, I couldn’t bear to stay in the room whenever the Packers faced a crucial play. I often left the house altogether, standing on the porch in the frozen tundra of a Wisconsin winter day, waiting to hear the cheer go up from my dad. It almost always did. I would run in to watch what I had missed, limited usually to one replay. Bart Starr’s winning sneak to win the Ice Bowl and send the Pack to the Super Bowl. Tom Brown’s end zone interception of Dandy Don Meredith, Dave Robinson (No. 89) draped all over him, to preserve the 34-27 win in Dallas that sent the Pack to Super Bowl I, then known as the NFL-AFC Championship Game.

My dad ensured we would never miss a game. Back then, it was a 14-game regular season: 7 home, 7 away. The Packers played three of their home games in Milwaukee, an effort to grow the sport. The games in Milwaukee were blacked out.

We couldn’t afford to go. My dad worked two jobs and my mom worked one to support a family of six. Somehow he put together enough money, disposable income — don’t ask, won’t tell — to buy a large TV antenna that he mounted on the roof of our home in suburban Milwaukee.

Every time the Packers played in Milwaukee — and it was always a Sunday at 1 p.m., because there

was no Sunday Night Football or Monday Night Football or Thursday Night Football — my dad would be up on the roof to turn the TV antenna north toward Green Bay to pull in the game from there, where it was not blacked out.

We developed a system, a three-man crew, and dad was the captain. We became a team, my brother, me and my dad, a team the way Lombardi built a team.

While my dad stood on the roof, slowly turning the TV antenna toward Green Bay, one of us boys would be inside to monitor the TV picture and relay instructions to the other boy standing outside and shouting up to the roof.

“A little more, a little more!” I would shout through the sliding glass door, and my brother would relay the message to my Dad.

“A little more, a little more.”

And then, invariably.

“No. No. Too much. Tell him to go back.”

The goal was simple: Get the best possible picture, everything else be damned. We could get audio from the radio, and as much as we loved the booming-baritone of Ray Scott and his simple delivery — Starr, Dowling, Touchdown. — Ted Moore on WTMJ probably was more widely known as the voice of the Packers.

I don’t recall there being a 7-second delay in the action. What I do recall is the commercials: A Pabst Blue Ribbon beer commercial on TV and a Miller beer commercial on the radio. Or a Ford vs. Chevy clash of audio and video.

My dad has been gone for six years. The memories of those Sundays are more than a half-century old. But I still hear his laughter, I still see him on the roof turning that antenna, I still hear the cheers that would bring that boy in from the driveway, next to his dad forever.

Journalist, dad formed a bond over football in Milwaukee in mid-1960s that lasted a lifetime

A look ahead to an NFL where fans are welcome and quarterbacks hold the key to success

BY JERRY MCDONALD

There is no shortage of storylines and questions as the 2021 NFL season gets underway. Here’s a look at some of the biggest things to watch for this fall.

Which teams should benefit the most from a return to something approaching normalcy after a COVID-19 season?

We’ll start with the Raiders, Chargers and Rams, who will welcome fans into Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood for the first time. Having an empty stadium appeared to impact the Raiders the most, as they went 2-6 at their new digs en route to an 8-8 record. The Chargers were 4-4 and finished 7-9, while the Rams actually fared well in an environment of fake crowd noise, going 6-2.

Can the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ championship success be duplicated in a copycat league?

Sure. Just find a 43-year-old quarterback like Tom Brady primed to throw 40 touchdown passes and defy the laws of sports and the aging process on his way to his seventh Super Bowl championship. Brady, incredibly, is showing no signs of slippage. By the end of the season, he’ll have more passing yards than Joe Montana and Johnny Unitas combined.

THE NFL

Did the Patriots’ Bill Belichick lose the magic touch the moment Brady walked out the door?

The last time New England had a losing record was 2000, when Belichick was 5-11 in his first season, and Brady was a rookie sixth-round pick sitting behind Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe got hurt the next season, and the Patriots had 19 consecutive winning seasons with Brady as the starter for 18 of them, as well as 17 division titles and six Super Bowl championships. So does Belichick have something to prove? Actually, he does.

With the Brady-Belichick dynamic in mind, will the New Orleans Saints under Sean Payton still be a playoff contender following the retirement of Drew Brees?

It’s a big dropoff to go from a quarterback with 80,358 yards passing and 571 touchdowns to opening a season with some combination of Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill. Hill had some success, going 3-1, but as a gadget player. Winston, a former No. 1 overall pick by Tampa Bay, couldn’t stop turning it over with the Bucs. We’ll find out if Payton weaned Winston off the interceptions during his one year behind Brees and Hill.

Which first-round draft picks from 2020 need to step up their game in their second season?

We’ll start with Detroit cornerback Jeff Okudah,

Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady was 43 when he and the Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV in February. Brady, now 44, is the oldest player to win a Super Bowl.

PATRICK SMITH/GETTY IMAGES

who was taken No. 3 out of Ohio State and looked nothing like the shutdown corner he was reputed to be. Tua Tagovailoa (No. 5 out of Alabama) was handed the starting job in-season over Ryan Fitzpatrick, and it’s still not clear if it was the right move by coach Brian Flores. Finally, Raiders wideout Henry Ruggs (No. 12, Alabama) was less productive than four other wideouts taken after him in the first round.

Which new head coach has the best chance to win right away?

Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley has a foundation quarterback in Justin Herbert and inherits a team that has been a disaster in terms of in-game strategy and mistakes for years. Last season the Chargers set an NFL record by losing four games when they led by 10 or more points in the second half. If Staley can coach, he’s got a shot to win.

Which coach will be the first to be fired?

Denver’s Vic Fangio is 12-20 in two seasons and so far looks like a quality assistant coach who should have remained a quality assistant coach. Should the Broncos struggle again, John Elway’s patience will run out. Chicago’s Matt Nagy is another contender if the Bears can’t produce a representative offense and make the postseason.

Which rookie faces the biggest expectations?

No. 1 overall draft pick Trevor Lawrence has been compared with Andrew Luck as a can’t-miss rookie prospect. But will Jacksonville be an environment conducive to winning? Coach Urban Meyer is making the jump from college to the NFL, and the Jaguars have three other times drafted a quarterback in the first round (Blake Bortles in 2014, Blaine Gabbert in

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the favorite to claim the NFL Most Valuable Player award this season, a title he last claimed in 2019.

2011, Byron Leftwich in 2003) and come up empty.

Which team had the best offseason?

The Kansas City Chiefs may have lost the Super Bowl to the Bucs, but they put themselves in good position for a return by keeping their most important players and upgrading their offensive line with guard Joe Thuney and tackle Orlando Brown. That should keep

quarterback Patrick Mahomes upright long enough to light up the scoreboard on a weekly basis.

What is the toughest division?

Jimmy Garoppolo has won 22 of 30 games with the 49ers but ranks as the fourth-best starter in a division with Russell Wilson (Seattle), Matt Stafford (Los Angeles Rams) and Kyler Murray (Arizona). There are no off-days against NFC West opponents, and

CHRIS O'MEARA/ ASSOCIATED PRESS

With a 12-20 record over two seasons, Denver Broncos coach Vic Fangio could be on the hot seat this season.

ELSA/GETTY IMAGES

you can make a case for all four being valid playoff contenders.

What will be the worst division?

Staying with the quarterback theme, it has to be the NFC East. Starting QBs are: Dallas’ Dak Prescott, who is coming off a serious ankle injury; Washington’s Ryan Fitzpatrick, a solid career backup; the Giants’ Daniel Jones, whose potential as an

upper-tier starter remains up in the air entering year three; and the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, who had mixed success after the Carson Wentz flameout. Washington won the division last season at 7-9 and everyone else lost in double digits.

Who will be the MVP?

Look for the Chiefs’ Mahomes to reclaim the award he captured in 2019 (Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers won it in 2020). Quarterbacks need only apply, so Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Wilson of the Seahawks are also in the running. Keep an eye on Stafford in a Rams system designed by Sean McVay after a dozen years in Detroit purgatory.

How much longer can Derek Carr and Jon Gruden co-exist with the Raiders?

The whole Carr-Gruden saga is more myth than reality. Gruden hasn’t thought seriously about replacing him at any time during the last three years. But it’s getting serious now, with Carr’s contract two years from expiring, and the Raiders nose-diving with late-season fades each of the last two years.

Who will be the Defensive Player of the Year?

They may as well name the award after defensive tackle Aaron Donald of the Rams, an interior presence who is a slam-dunk, first-ballot Hall of Fame player and will go down as one of the best players ever to play the position.

Who will be the Offensive Rookie of the Year?

The Pittsburgh Steelers would love to return to the days of having a balanced offense to take some pressure off Ben Roethlisberger. And coach Mike Tomlin may have drafted just the guy to do it in Najee Harris, the bruising running back from Alabama by way of Antioch High School.

Who will be the Defensive Rookie of the Year?

Without a sure-fire edge threat, the guess here is linebacker Micah Parsons of the Cowboys makes enough plays as a sideline-to-sideline linebacker. It helps that he plays for Dallas, and his every move will be watched closely and inflated in terms of importance.

Who is in the best position to be the Comeback Player of the Year?

Carson Wentz had a crash so spectacular with the Eagles, they incurred a $33.8 million salary cap charge in 2021 just to send him out of town. He arrives via trade in Indianapolis with a solid organization and as the step-in starter for the retired Philip Rivers.

Which five players who changed teams either through free agency or trade are the biggest difference-makers?

1) Wide receiver Julio Jones, Tennessee (traded from Atlanta); 2) quarterback Matt Stafford, L.A. Rams (traded from Detroit);

3) edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue, Raiders (free agent from Minnesota); 4) quarterback Sam Darnold, Carolina (traded from New York Jets); 5) tackle Orlando Brown, Kansas City (traded from Baltimore).

Raiders coach

Jon Gruden hasn’t thought seriously about replacing quarterback Derek Carr since Gruden returned to the Raiders. But Carr’s contract expires in two years.

What will be the impact of Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib becoming the first active NFL player to come out as gay?

Hopefully, not much. Nassib will get plenty of outward support, and those in the league who object will likely keep their mouths shut. The harsh reality is that teammates will be accepting of just about anybody who produces on the field, and in that regard, the hope is that Nassib finds a comfort level he didn’t have in a poor 2020 season.

After years of more and more passing, will more teams get serious about running the ball?

Even in the pass-first era, nearly every NFL team aspires to run the ball to close out games if they’re capable — witness the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with more rushing plays than passing plays while leading Kansas City in the Super Bowl. The Ravens, Raiders and the Titans love nothing better than being run-heavy if the score dictates.

ETHAN MILLER/ GETTY IMAGES

PASSERS

ANOTHER CROSSROADS

Football coaches have searched and schemed to discover what makes the perfect quarterback since the game was invented. The 49ers find themselves in the middle of the latest evolutionary phase — but have they discovered the key to the future?

BY CAM INMAN

49ERS

The NFL, in all honesty, is not a tale of two quarterbacks.

It sure looked that way during last season’s Super Bowl, with an age-defying star, Tom Brady, outlasting an ever-nimble phenom, Patrick Mahomes.

But this isn’t so much about those two quarterbacks. Instead, let’s talk about the NFL’s ever-evolving approach to the position.

Do you ride the veteran pocket passer with a knack for victory?

Or go with the young gun — actually the run-and-gun — whose mobility truly makes it an 11-vs.-11 affair each snap?

Just look who’s front and center on this season’s 49ers, with incumbent starter Jimmy Garoppolo grooming/mentoring/staving off hot-shot rookie Trey Lance.

So who has the right of way?

This isn’t the first time the NFL appears at a crossroads at the most scrutinized job on the field. Mobile quarterbacks and generational athletes have come and gone.

High school and college ranks are breeding grounds for Lancelike quarterbacks, those state-ofthe-art phenoms who can dissect defenses with rocket arms and nimble legs — and overlooked quick wit. They can play seemingly any skill position, only to opt for the glory and control of quarterback.

For the 49ers, they last enjoyed a dual-threat option when Colin Kaepernick burst on the scene and led the 2012 team to the Super Bowl. Kap was, at least at his onset, a rushing and passing dynamo.

Steve Young was once, too. Then he developed into a Hall of Famer, maturing with record-setting efficiency as a passer. Jeff Garcia was a three-time Pro Bowler whose mobility helped him fight to survive every down.

The 49ers are 22-8 in games Jimmy Garoppolo has started since he arrived in a trade from New England before the 2017 season. Injuries limited Garoppolo to six games last season (3 wins) but he was a big reason the 49ers reached the Super Bowl two seasons ago. JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO/STAFF ARCHIVES

By mortgaging their draft future and selecting Lance with the No. 3 overall pick, the 49ers got more than insurance for the injury-plagued Garoppolo. They got the prototype for future playoff stardom, or at least another style to deploy.

“There’s lots of different ways you can do it,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “I don’t look at it as in trends of the league. I look at it as there’s some special players or special people.”

The NFL bid farewell to two of its top, pocket-oriented gunslingers this offseason with the retirements of Drew Brees and Philip Rivers.

When it comes to NFL MVPs, it fluctuates between a savvy veteran quarterback not known for his mobility (see Brady, Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers), to an up-and-comer who baffles defenses with his escapability and legs (see Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Cam Newton).

“There’s lots of ways to do it,” Shanahan added. “And people are proving that more and more. Especially the more high schools, the more Pop Warner, my kids’ school, my kids’ flag football team goes no-huddle and just shows pictures. They go fast as could be.

“And man, a lot of people are getting trained in offenses in different ways. A lot of much better athletes are also learning how to play the quarterback position.”

Shanahan thrived on improvisation as a mobile quarterback as a youth, before transitioning to wide receiver as a Saratoga High freshman.

Those wide-open offenses that are being played today have roots in California.

After watching his son, John, flourish in the spread offense at Granada Hills High under Jack Neumeier, Jack Elway brought that system into the college ranks, first at Cal State Northridge and then San Jose State in the late 1970s. Now, some 50 years later,

it’s the norm to see offenses deploy four to five receivers.

But figuring out what type of quarterback is best for success remains in debate.

Mobile quarterbacks are nothing new to the 49ers. Young harnessed his scrambling ways to evolve into one of the NFL’s most efficient passers of all time. Some 20 years later, Kaepernick stormed through defenses primarily with his breakaway speed more so than strong-armed throws.

“To see a quarterback run the way he runs, that’s unbelievable,” then-49ers linebacker Patrick Willis said of Kaepernick after he ran for two touchdowns and 181 yards (most ever in a game by an NFL quarterback) to beat the Green Bay Packers 45-31 in his playoff debut in January 2013.

Like Kaepernick, Lance checks in at 6-foot-4 and about 225 pounds. But, from initial looks on the 49ers’ practice field, Lance is not a second-coming of Kaepernick, who had more straight-line speed.

Lance came out of a pro-style offense at North Dakota State that employed play-action concepts mirroring much of what the 49ers

Rookie quarterback Trey Lance did it all at North Dakota State in 2019, passing for 2,786 yards with 28 touchdowns and no interceptions and rushing for more than 1,000 yards and 14 more touchdowns.

Lance came out of a pro-style offense at North Dakota State that employed playaction concepts mirroring much of what the 49ers do under Shanahan.

do under Shanahan. That said, Lance did run for 1,110 yards and 14 touchdowns while passing for 2,786 yards and 28 touchdowns (with no interceptions) in leading the Bison to the 2019 Football Championship Subdivision national title.

Lance seems more comfortable moving behind the line of scrimmage, and Shanahan wants his quarterbacks to hang in the pocket and keep their eyes downfield as long as they can.

Immediate success for Lance or any quarterback is tough in the NFL, as John Elway testified earlier this year.

“Young quarterbacks always make mistakes,” Elway, now the Denver Broncos’ president of football operations, said in January. “I made a million mistakes my first two or three years, but it’s how you can learn from those. … It’s a very difficult position to find.”

At that same Broncos news conference in which George Patton was introduced as their general manager, Patton noted: “We all want the franchise quarterback, and that’s the No. 1 goal — trying to draft and develop or acquire any way you can.”

Why is that so difficult? Mobile quarterbacks are trending in the draft, but look at who has won Super Bowls the past 20 years — not the dual-threat quarterbacks, all due respect to the escapability of Rodgers (2010 Packers), Russell Wilson (2013 Seattle Seahawks) and Mahomes (2019 Kansas City Chiefs). Otherwise, the Lombardi Trophy went to Tom Brady (seven times since 2001), Peyton Manning (twice), Eli Manning (twice), Brad Johnson, Ben Roethlisberger, Brees, Joe Flacco and Nick Foles. Mahomes rushed for a career-high 308 yards last season, so it’s not as if he’s a running quarterback. Same goes for Buffalo Bills upstart Josh Allen, whose rushing totals have declined annually (631 yards to 510 to 421) as his passing efficiency improved (107.2 rating last year).

A year ago, Baltimore’s Jackson was coming off an MVP-winning season that included 1,206 rushing yards, and his encore act included 1,005 rushing yards. He’s won 1 of 4 playoff games,

Colin Kaepernick provided the 49ers a different kind of dual-threat quarterback from 2011-16, passing for more than 3,000 yards in a season twice and rushing for more than 400 yards four times.

however, so that rushing ability hasn’t translated to success when it counts most.

ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit suggests a compromise, not always in large supply around the NFL, might be one key to finding success in the current era of quarterbacking. He points to Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Mahomes as an example.

“Andy Reid said, ‘You know what, I’m tired of trying to figure out these college quarterbacks that are all in a shotgun running some kind of Air Raid offense. I’m going to adjust my offense to Pat Mahomes,’ ” Herbstreit said. “… These guys had figured, instead of saying you’re going to learn how we do it in the National Football League, they’re adjusting things to these college quarterbacks.”

Shanahan is adjusting. Defenses just don’t know how he will adjust this coming season.

“It will always evolve,” Shanahan said. “That’s why sometimes the wildcat would be good, sometimes it won’t. Sometimes no-huddle will be good, sometimes it won’t. Sometimes zone defense will be good, sometimes it won’t.

“It matters on how you group people together, what your choices are and how you plan on using that person.”

That person. That quarterback. That dichotomy everyone tries to figure out on every team every day of the year.

“ It will always evolve. That’s why sometimes the wildcat would be good, sometimes it won’t. Sometimes no-huddle will be good, sometimes it won’t. Sometimes zone defense will be good, sometimes it won’t.”

49ers’ coach Kyle Shanahan

JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO/ STAFF ARCHIVES

George Kittle

BY CAM INMAN

George Kittle embodies the 49ers’ ideals, the NFL’s high-energy, the tight end position’s all-around potential and, as many companies are learning, the power of a positive-speaking pitchman.

All of which made Kittle a natural choice for the following question-and-answer session.

He and his wife, Claire, have settled into a new home outside of Nashville, complete with a three-story barn that’s morphed into a state-of-the-art workout facility. That’s for the offseason. He’s rented a new townhome near the 49ers’ facility, ditching an apartment where his upstairs neighbor, Nick Bosa, wasn’t the quietest fellow.

“I could hear his footsteps every time he woke up every single day of the year,” Kittle said. “Quadzilla, with the loudest footsteps. I moved out because of Nick’s footsteps. I thought he was going to bring the whole building down.

Here is more from Kittle, the homegrown All-Pro and team captain, speaking recently with 49ers beat reporter Cam Inman:

QLet’s start by asking, what was the highlight of your summer?

AI’m really excited about what’s happened on my (Tennessee) property. My wife and I purchased the property back in October, in the middle of the season. She and my family have been putting it together. Being able to have an entire, functioning NFL facility — from recovery to tubs to chef to massage therapist and physical therapist — it’s been really fun for me. It’s been a dream of mine to have the last couple of years and it’s all finally come to fruition. To train daily with eight to 12 NFL athletes, most of them tight ends, it’s been really fun for me.

QSo about your new house (20 minutes south of downtown Nashville), did you build it and the workout barn from the ground up?

AI got really lucky. The people we bought the house from built it in 2017, lived there for a year or two and then moved to Colorado. It’s completely brand new. The only thing we remodeled was the kitchen and living room area. Then the barn, we gutted that. It’s been there for 20 years. It’s a three-story barn. We gutted it and poured cement where the horse stalls were. My dad, my father-in-law and I laid all the black mats for the (weight) lifting stuff. It was a family project and has been really fun.

QYou’ve become a master pitchman, whether it’s Bud Light, Gatorade, lawn mowers. How many endorsements did you do this offseason?

AI think six. We did Exmark, Gatorade, and I just did an Adobe shoot, which was fun. The Tight End University stuff exploded and I did a couple plugs there. Charmin, Levi’s and Bud Light were incredibly helpful with the Tight End U stuff.

QAh yes, the endorsements, you’re obviously good at them with your energy. Do you see yourself becoming the biggest NFL pitchman that’s not a quarterback?

AI’d rather be doing football stuff, but I enjoy doing it. It is fun to work with different products and companies, as long as I’m working with products I use in my day-to-day life. I’ve turned down a couple things not really for me. I’m not a soda or energy drink guy. I’m authentic to myself and don’t want to be spread thin.

QHow do you see yourself and the NFL changing in 10 years?

ATen years? If we’re being honest, Cam, money is a big factor in the NFL. People want to make money and fantasy football is a big factor in the NFL, because that’s how a lot of fans stay interacted. So it’s going to continue to protect offensive players and allow teams to put up 40 to 50 points a game, so their fantasy football players are putting up 25 to 30 points a game for them. That’s the direction we’re heading. I

don’t know all the changes that will come with that. But I hope it doesn’t change too much because I do think it’s really hard to play defense. It’s really hard to play safety. I know it’s really hard to be a 350-pound defensive tackle and try not to land on the quarterback, even though you’ve been doing it since you were 5 years old. So I get that they’re trying to protect the game, but as long as football stays football, it is, at the end of the day, a very violent sport. Whether it’s a kids’ game or not, there is a lot of violence in there, so I just hope they keep it violent, because that’s kind of my style of play.

QThis year, you won’t have C.J. Beathard (now on Jacksonville Jaguars) or Trent Taylor (now on Cincinnati Bengals) in your locker room. Your old buddy Garrett Celek retired last year. How weird will this be?

ACam, you’re pulling on my heartstrings, man. That’s crazy, dog. ... I’m getting used to it. I like the quarterbacks we have in the room. I’m super lucky to have guys like Mike McGlinchey, (and) we’ve become really good friends. Ross Dwelley, one of my best friends on the team. Nick Bosa, just happy to have him back.

Jimmy G is still my guy. He’s working on his texting ability. He’s still pretty bad at it but we’re working on it. We still have a great group of corps guys. Fred Warner, even though we butt heads on the field every day, we can talk about anything. He’s a guy I always enjoy talking with.

QYou’ve been in the Bay Area four-plus years. What are your go-to spots?

AOh wow, I’m not going to lie, Mikayla’s Cafe, about a block from the stadium, is one of my favorite places to eat. It’s a little diner and I get a grilled chicken deluxe sandwich and the French toast. I found a place in Pleasanton, an Italian place, Locanda Amalfi. My wife and I went there and they have this lobster ravioli. I put down two plates. That stuff was so delicious and I need to go back.

49ers’ star has new house, new deals, same positive energy

For the offseason, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and his wife, Claire, have settled into a new home outside of Nashville, complete with a state-of-the-art workout facility in the barn.

THE NFL Power rankings

BY JERRY MCDONALD

1.

4. BUFFALO

The Bucs kept everybody who mattered from a team that dominated in the postseason. Tom Brady belongs at the top until someone knocks him off. He even got a new toy in running back Giovani Bernard via free agency. The defense remains fast and can get after the quarterback, with Shaquil Barrett one of the NFL’s top threats from the edge.

With just under 5,000 yards passing and rushing, 37 touchdown passes, and eight rushing touchdowns, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen had one of the best seasons that didn’t result in an MVP award. Pass rush could be one thing holding Buffalo back as ends Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison will be 33 and 34 when the season begins.

5. BALTIMORE

The Chiefs had a bad day in the Super Bowl, but remain the class of the AFC with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and wide out Tyreek Hill piling up yardage and touchdowns at an obscene rate. Kansas City merely needs to be adequate on defense, and with defensive tackle Chris Jones and safety Tyrann Mathieu around, that seems assured.

Will the Ravens pass the test when it matters most? Lamar Jackson is a dual-threat quarterback unlike any other and remains the primary mover of the NFL’s top rushing attack. But the Ravens still aren’t a team that makes up deficits quickly or easily, which may limit them to another playoff berth and then disappointment.

6. TENNESSEE

Sean McVay and Co. boldly went all-in on Matt Stafford in the blockbuster deal that sent Jared Goff to Detroit. If this goes well, you may find other teams copying the Rams’ unusual mode of team building in terms of adding star players at the expense of first-round draft picks and concentrating on developing mid-round talent into functional role players.

Who is going to design and call plays for an offense featuring running back Derrick Henry, quarterback Ryan Tannehill and a receiving duo of Julio Jones and A.J. Brown? None other than Todd Downing, who oversaw the collapse of the Raiders offense in 2017 after a playoff year. Bud Dupree and Denico Autry arrive for a defense that will pressure quarterbacks more in 2021.

7. 49ERS

All eyes will be on how soon Kyle Shanahan begins to deploy No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance at the expense of incumbent Jimmy Garoppolo, although Garoppolo’s history of injury could take care of that for him. It’s a potential 10plus win team regardless, especially if edge rusher Nick Bosa is all the way back from last year’s ACL tear in Week 2.

8. SEATTLE

Not sure what that whole Russell Wilson trade charade was all about. He was never going anywhere, but let’s face it — Wilson’s play fell off after a strong start when he had 10 turnovers in a four-game stretch with three losses. Incredible hulk wide receiver D.K. Metcalf could emerge as a Calvin Johnson-caliber receiver in Year 3. A porous secondary remains a problem.

9. CLEVELAND

Was 2020 a mirage or are the Browns a viable contender for not only the AFC North but the conference title? Quarterback Baker Mayfield is an excellent anticipatory thrower and operates one of the NFL’s most balanced attacks.  Defensively, pressure on the quarterback from players other than Myles Garrett is a problem, and Garrett has faded in each of the last two seasons.

10. INDIANAPOLIS

GM Chris Ballard and coach Frank Reich have proved to be capable team builders, and both have essentially staked their reputations on the revival of Carson Wentz after a crash-and-burn in Philadelphia. They’ll rely on balance with Jonathan Taylor running the ball as Wentz regains his confidence. DeForest Buckner at three technique and Darius Leonard at linebacker are top-shelf players on the first level of defense.

TAMPA BAY

2. KANSAS CITY

3. L.A. RAMS

11. PITTSBURGH

It’s pretty much the last roundup for Ben Roethlisberger, who accepted a $5 million pay cut to come back and prove he can do more than dink and dunk at the age of 39. Help is on the way in terms of balance with first-round pick Najee Harris at running back, and the Steelers defense with T.J. Watt continues to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

12. GREEN BAY

The manner in which GM Brian Gutekunst has mismanaged everything that has to do with quarterback Aaron Rodgers leads me to believe the Packers are pointing downward regardless of whether it’s Rodgers or Jordan Love leading the way. Dumping D-coordinator Mike Pettine in favor of Joe Barry doesn’t inspire confidence.

13. ARIZONA

This is the season we discover if Kyler Murray is an entertaining gimmick or a quarterback who can lead a team to championship level of play. He’ll need to find DeAndre Hopkins (6 TD receptions last season) in the end zone more often. Defensively, the Cardinals can do some damage if edge rusher Chandler Jones recovers from biceps surgery and if former Texan J.J. Watt has one last big year.

14. RAIDERS

The Raiders are taking painstakingly small steps up the ladder under coach Jon Gruden, going from four wins to seven and then eight. The question is whether their offensive line reshuffle will affect quarterback Derek Carr’s efficiency. The defense got the major overhaul it needed after a pathetic 2020 season. Expect another minor improvement — to, say, 9-8.

15. MIAMI

Eighteen starters return from a 10-6 team that had more wins than its talent base suggests. Miami is nothing special at any offensive position and it remains to be seen if Tua Tagovailoa will ever look like the No. 5 pick in the draft. Miami’s ability to defend the pass and create turnovers must be duplicated or the fall could be precipitous.

16. NEW ENGLAND

The Patriots underwent a major facelift in free agency — something that almost never works when attempting to turn a subpar team into a good one. It will be interesting to see how long Bill Belichick sticks with Cam Newton before inserting first-round pick Mac Jones at quarterback in an attempt at cloning Tom Brady in a decision-making sense.

17. MINNESOTA

Kirk Cousins has been so-so, and the Vikings need much more than that considering the $76 million their quarterback costs under the salary cap over the next two seasons. The Vikings were uncharacteristically poor defensively in 2020, but fear not — deposed Raiders coordinator Paul Guenther is on staff as a senior defensive assistant.

18. DALLAS

Mike McCarthy’s first year as head coach was a disaster, but not everything rests at the feet of Dak Prescott’s season-ending ankle injury. The Cowboys will score plenty, but they’ll give up just as many points. Not enough was done to upgrade a defense that allowed 29.6 points per game.

19. L.A. CHARGERS

Is quarterback Justin Herbert really as good as he looked in 2020? He flourished as a rookie, but it’s seldom a good thing to switch coaches and coordinators in the second year of a developing quarterback. Herbert will also be operating behind an offensive line that is returning just one starter.

20. NEW ORLEANS

Sean Payton has shown the ability to get the Saints through brief in-season absences of the now-retired Drew Brees. Depending on Jameis Winston with a dash of Taysom Hill, however, is a whole new ballgame. Coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense was among the NFL’s best, and will have to be even better to contend in 2021.

21. WASHINGTON

The defending NFC East champs are coming off a 7-9 season, mostly on the strength of a defense that ranked second in yards and fourth in points allowed under the direction of Jack Del Rio. But the offense remains suspect and a brutal schedule requires them to play each of last year’s semifinalists — two on the road.

22. CAROLINA

If Sam Darnold’s biggest problem turns out to be he was tied to the New York Jets, and Stanford alum Christian McCaffrey has a bounce-back year with 2,000 yards in rushing and receiving, the Panthers could be 10 spots better than this. The Carolina defense is deficient in terms of rushing the passer and making plays in the secondary.

23. ATLANTA

It’s been a slow decline for Matt Ryan since he was the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 2016, and a lot of that has to do with the QB’s supporting cast. The Falcons have moved on from Julio Jones, with Calvin Ridley and rookie tight end Kyle Pitts expected to pick up the slack. There’s a new head coach in Arthur Smith.

24. CHICAGO

A Khalil Mack-led defense is only so-so at rushing the passer, with a combined 67 sacks over the past two years, and struggles to close out games. Coach Matt Nagy’s job will rest on his ability to get rookie Justin Fields up and running as an upper-tier quarterback as soon as possible.

25. DENVER

If the Broncos are depending on some combination of Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback, they’ll be hard pressed to compete in a division that includes Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Derek Carr. They’ll be solid on defense, but to even think about a title run, Von Miller needs to return from a foot injury and be a Hall of Fame-caliber player again.

26. PHILADELPHIA

The pressure is on Jalen Hurts to deliver the goods at quarterback, otherwise it’s Joe Flacco to the rescue. It’s been a steady descent for Flacco since he delivered a championship for Baltimore against the 49ers nine years ago.

27. N.Y. JETS

New coach Robert Saleh should inject life and enthusiasm into a two-game winner, but has a rookie quarterback in Zach Wilson and a dubious supporting cast on offense and defense. It’s hard to imagine the Jets doing much better than doubling their paltry 2020 season win total.

28. N.Y. GIANTS

The Giants were actually ninth in the NFL in scoring defense at 22.3 points per game. Surprised? Unfortunately, unless Saquon Barkley can put up Tiki Barber-inhis-prime numbers, it won’t be enough to compensate for a popgun offense and a quarterback, Daniel Jones, who has yet to prove he’s the future of the franchise.

29. CINCINNATI

Joe Burrow looked the part of a franchise quarterback until a knee injury ended the rookie season of the NFL’s No. 1 overall pick early. The Bengals got him a new weapon in rookie wideout Ja’Marr Chase, but at the expense of not selecting a top shelf blocker in Round 1. There remains a dearth of talent on offense and defense, which ensures another sub-.500 season.

30. DETROIT

New coach Dan Campbell’s cartoonish opening news conference notwithstanding, the Lions are about as soft as it gets. They haven’t run the ball well since Barry Sanders retired and their defense gave up a staggering 519 points last season — the second-highest total in NFL history.

31. JACKSONVILLE

If quarterback Trevor Lawrence and coach Urban Meyer can get this one-win disaster anything more than six wins, then maybe the Jaguars are indeed off and running into something other than a dismal future. Many of the same suspects from the NFL’s 31st-ranked defense return.

32. HOUSTON

David Culley may be a great coach, but it’s unlikely he has the horses to prove it. Former coach Bill O’Brien has left the cupboard bare, quarterback DeShaun Watson’s career is in limbo and even franchise cornerstone J.J. Watt fled to Arizona to escape what looks to be a hopeless situation.

Shaquil Barrett, center, returns to a loaded Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense looking to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

JONATHAN DANIEL/ GETTY IMAGES

Will the please stand up?!? REAL 49ERS

STORY BY DIETER KURTENBACH

ILLUSTRATION BY YU-MING HUANG

In this age of misinformation, it’s so difficult to discern what’s real and what’s fake.

That’s certainly the case when it comes to the San Francisco 49ers.

Kyle Shanahan enters his fifth year as the 49ers head coach with a sub-.500 record and is looking for his second winning season.

And yet, the 49ers are considered serious contenders to go to the Super Bowl for the second time in three years.

It’s a strange juxtaposition, no doubt. It’s enough to make you question everything.

So what’s real and what’s fake?

I wish I could tell you the answer ahead of time — we’d all get rich together.

But what I can say is that this season will remove a great deal of the ambiguity around the Niners.

You’re either a Super Bowl contender or a team that is consistently drafting early in the spring. You can’t be both. And these are defining days for the Shanahan administration.

Win, and last season’s ill-fated “Revenge Tour” will be forgotten. Lose, and questions about the Niners’ trajectory that were buried by the team’s 2019 run will

Shanahan’s team is talented, experienced, out of excuses

Kyle Shanahan enters his fifth season as head coach of the 49ers with a 29-35 record. The 49ers have reached the playoffs once under Shanahan, making it all the way to the Super Bowl in 2019.

be unearthed.

Now I’m not saying that Shanahan is on the hot seat. Not yet, at least. But how the Niners play this season will set the tone for the rest of his tenure in charge.

This is a team that is talented, experienced and out of excuses. It’s time to put up or shut up.

Every team deals with injuries. Good teams overcome them, like the 2019 Niners.

And quarterback play? Well, that cannot be an Achilles’ heel for a fourth season out of Shanahan’s five — not with the return of Jimmy Garoppolo and the selection of Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall pick (a selection that required the 49ers to sell two other first-round selections).

It won’t be easy for the Niners. Even if they put it all together, they play in the toughest division in football, the NFC West. And their rivals upgraded their rosters.

The Rams punted former No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff all the way to Detroit and picked up Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Stafford, beating out the Niners in the race to get him. Kyler Murray and the Cardinals are improved, too. Arizona will put up points, but the addition of back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year JJ Watt to a defense that came on strong in the latter part of the season makes the Cardinals formidable.

And then there’s the Seahawks — the bane of the 49ers’ existence.

Somehow, someway, Russell Wilson and Seattle will find a way to be in the mix for the division lead come December. It won’t make any sense — the Seahawks have never played a normal game with Wilson at the helm — but it will happen.

Win the West, and the rest of the conference should be a piece of cake — just like in 2019.

If only it were that easy.

Not only do the Niners have to combat strong opponents — they also have to navigate who is going to play at quarterback. Now, QB questions are the kinds that few teams ask on their way to the postseason, but with Garoppolo’s lack of reliability when it comes to

MATT YORK/ ASSOCIATED PRESS

injuries and execution, Shanahan felt it best to find his quarterback of the future a bit early. Will expedited delivery be a justified cost or an unnecessary surcharge? That depends on if Garoppolo is truly a top-flight starting quarterback and if Lance has the poise and talent to be an immediate contributor, should he get the chance. It’s been a long time since a training camp and preseason schedule carried so much weight in Santa Clara.

Perhaps it all clicks. Maybe the return of defensive end Nick Bosa takes a good Niners defense from last season and makes it fearsome once again.

Maybe a full season of George Kittle mixed with a dangerous ground game and improved quarterback play from either an inspired Garoppolo or the uber-talented Lance helps the Niners’ offense return to its 2019 success.

There’s absolutely no reason that the 49ers cannot go to the Super Bowl this season.

But we said that last season, too.

There’s no question now that Shanahan’s honeymoon is over. The intoxication of the 2019 season has worn away.

Shanahan’s turnaround of the Niners’ organization was needed and unquestionably impressive. The standard hasn’t changed. Around these parts, it’s about winning Super Bowls, not making them.

There isn’t a Lombardi Trophy from 2019 in the cabinet at 4949, only the George Halas Trophy, and as nice as that might be, it doesn’t carry enough clout for two seasons.

It’s not playoffs or bust for Shanahan’s Niners this season. Instead consider it “playoffs or tough,” as in tough conversations will need to happen if San Francisco doesn’t play an 18th game in this, the first season with 17 regular-season games.

It doesn’t matter how the Niners get there. Offense, defense, rookie quarterback or veteran — it’s time for results.

49ERS

Storylines

BY CAM INMAN

WHEN MIGHT LANCE UNSEAT GAROPPOLO?

The best-case scenario is Jimmy Garoppolo revives his 2019 dominance, so that rookie quarterback Trey Lance is not rushed into NFL duty but rather sprinkled into the occasional series. If that plan goes awry, either by another Garoppolo injury or upset losses, the 49ers could summon Lance from the bullpen by the Week 6 bye. It may not be a matter of if Lance should start but when in an expanded 17-game schedule (plus playoffs).

HOW GOES NICK BOSA’S COMEBACK?

Nick Bosa’s recovery from last September’s anterior cruciate ligament tear could bode more for the 49ers’ fate than whatever unfolds at quarterback. He was such a linchpin to their Super Bowl run as the 2019 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. The 49ers must guard against overworking that repaired left knee if Bosa is to also impact another playoff run.

BRANDON AIYUK’S SECOND-YEAR BOUNCE?

Sophomore slump be damned. Brandon Aiyuk is poised for a bigger and better Year 2, perhaps on the same breakout level as George Kittle in his second season in 2018. Aiyuk had a team-leading 748 receiving yards despite missing three games as a rookie. He’s worked hard this offseason, including on the side with Lance after organized team activities.

WHO REVIVES THE RUN GAME?

Raheem Mostert tweeted in June that the “only thing on my mind is HOF. How can I get there?” Look, before he gets to Canton, he has to prove more durable and run as fast as ever. He’ll also have to fend off younger competition in rookies Trey Sermon and Elijah Mitchell. The 49ers’ rushing attack sank from No. 2 to No. 15 last season.

CAN FRED WARNER ASCEND FURTHER?

Linebacker Fred Warner perfectly positioned himself for a market-setting

Above: San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk could be poised for a breakout season after leading the team in receiving yards as a rookie with 748.

KATHRYN RILEY/ GETTY IMAGES

Right: Defensive end Nick Bosa (97), shown here helping DeForest Buckner (99) tackle Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook in a 2020 divisional playoff game, is expected to be back at full strength this season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament tear last September.

JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO/ STAFF ARCHIVES

contract extension by making First Team All-Pro in his third season. His impressive ascent as a playmaker and captain can still reach new heights at a position Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman thrived in not long ago.

EARLY GETAWAY: The 49ers will open with an extended road trip, and hope for the same results as their 2019 start with back-to-back away games. This time, they’ll debut at Detroit, head to The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia (last year’s Week 3 hideaway) and then play at Philadelphia. In 2019, the 49ers won at Tampa Bay, stayed in Youngstown, Ohio, then won at Cincinnati to ignite an 8-0 run toward the Super Bowl.

INJURY WATCH: It took 84 players (tied for an NFL record in a non-strike year) to get through last season because of injuries and COVID issues. Three serious injuries struck in the offseason program (Jeff Wilson, knee; Tarvarius Moore, Achilles; Justin Skule, knee) so the injury bug hasn’t been kicked, yet.

CONTRACT YEARS: This year’s salary cap crunch, as a result of declining revenues in 2020, prompted many free agents to sign one-year, prove-it deals. Among those who did: cornerbacks Jason Verrett and K’Waun Williams; defensive linemen D.J. Jones and Zach Kerr; and wide receivers Trent Sherfield and Mohamed Sanu. Also unsigned for 2022: Fred Warner, Laken Tomlinson, Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, Daniel Brunskill, Azeez Al-Shaair, Kevin Givens and Richie James.

Five key players (NON-QB)

DE Nick Bosa: The 2019 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year must respond well from last season’s anterior cruciate ligament tear but not be overworked.

TE George Kittle: Injuries cost him half of last season when the 49ers needed way more than his two touchdowns. He’s their tone-setter and should regain the NFL’s tight end throne.

WR Deebo Samuel: He’s an offensive catalyst whether he’s making tough catches on the sideline, taking short tosses on end-around runs or distracting defenses from Brandon Aiyuk and Kittle.

DT Arik Armstead: He hasn’t missed a game since 2017 but his sack numbers sank from 10 to 3 ½ last season. Keeping him inside on pass downs is the goal.

CB Jason Verrett: His career rebounded last season and a strong encore should result in a sizeable payday next spring.

Players with breakout potential

WR Jalen Hurd: His two-touchdown debut in the 2019 exhibition opener created a play-making mystique that’s yet to appear in a regular-season game because of back and knee injuries.

LB Dre Greenlaw: He’s made big plays (typically against Seattle) but he could go big in Year 3 as Warner’s sidekick.

DT Javon Kinlaw: Last year’s top draft pick had a relatively quiet rookie season aside from busting Drew Brees’ ribs. Time for a more menacing presence.

S Jimmie Ward: This category is typically reserved for youngsters, not the longesttenured player. Ward’s eighth season could be his best, especially with a couple interceptions to match or pass his career total (two).

Parke Ulrich

San Francisco chef talks tailgate strategy, garlic fries and Taste of the NFL

BY KATE LUCKY

San Francisco chef Parke Ulrich knows what it means to lead a team — not of running backs and receivers, but pastry chefs and line cooks. Their version of victory? Delicious dishes, with an emphasis on sustainable seafood and local produce, served at Ulrich’s Waterbar, EPIC Steak and Mersea on Treasure Island. We recently spoke with the chef about serving the Bay Area sports scene, plus what to eat while watching the big game.

QFirst things first: Are you a football fan?

AI’m a Philadelphia Eagles fan. That’s where I grew up. And I’m a 49ers fan — that’s what my son is now. We’ve gone to many games together.

QYou were involved with Taste of the NFL 2020 — a culinary event at the Super Bowl that raises money to combat hunger — as the 49ers’ representative. How else are your restaurants involved in the Bay Area sports scene?

ATaste of the NFL was an incredible experience. You’re dealing with Hall of Fame players and All-Stars from all over the country, trying to represent your team and city with regional cuisine. The camaraderie between chefs is very fun. The year we were in Miami, we served Dungeness crab fried rice.

We’re very involved, both EPIC Steak and Waterbar, with sports figures. That’s how we got involved with Taste of the NFL, fostering relationships with coaches, front office personnel and players. EPIC hosted the Toronto Raptors and the L.A. Lakers a few times for parties. We did a lot when the Super Bowl was here. The U.S. Women’s Open was just a few months ago — there were lots of golfers in town. Back in 2013, we were the home base of hospitality for Team New Zealand during the America’s Cup. We’ve had some Formula One drivers.

Everyone is always a little celebrity struck when you have these athletes in. The cooks are excited to tell their friends: “I cooked for this person!” Every year the pastry chefs at both restaurants will create gingerbread houses of different San Francisco landmarks. One year we did what is now Oracle Park.

As a restaurant, we’re a team. We use sports references to make analogies to what we do. Working together, helping each other out — realizing that everybody is trying to do their best, but their best is different every day.

QSay I were to come to a Sunday tailgate or game day party at your house. It’s fall in the Bay Area. What kinds of game-watching fare might you serve that draws on what’s in season here?

AHere, it’s our Indian summer, the best time of year, so it may still be tomato salads and corn

Parke

on the cob into October. After that, you’re switching over to feel-good winter warmth. Pumpkins and hard squashes are great. So are Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. I love vegetable dips with chimichurri or different aiolis.

With game watching, it’s usually a crowd, and you’re standing up and sitting down a lot — so it’s best to do lots of little bites instead of a formal meal. Upscale potato skins are a favorite of mine — you can fill them with anything, including crab. I’ve never met a wing I didn’t like, but I’m not going to fry wings at my house because of the mess that it makes.

QWays to incorporate local seafood?

AChowder can be made out of anything: People always think of clams, but it can be crab or salmon. Chowder just means bacon, potatoes and for me, always cream — New England style as opposed to a red Manhattan style — with chunks of fish or shrimp. You can also make smoked salmon dip to scoop with chips or pitas. And ceviches or tartares are always fun.

QFor dessert?

AI love ice cream sandwiches. You can make your own smaller cookies. Soften some ice cream, scoop, press and put them back in the freezer. Or sundae bars: Lay the ice cream out with lots of different toppings.

Apples are in season, and apple crisp is easy to make — sugar, flour, apples. It can be made ahead of time, then slightly warmed up.

QFavorite stadium foods at Levi’s?

AMy son loves the garlic fries. For me, it’s soft pretzels

Details: Find Waterbar at 399 The Embarcadero in San Francisco, www.waterbarsf.com, and sister restaurant EPIC Steak at 369 The Embarcadero, www.epicsteak.com. Treasure Island’s Mersea is at 699 Avenue of the Palms; www.mersea.restaurant.

Ulrich, celebrity chef of EPIC Steakhouse and Waterbar fame, also represented the San Francisco 49ers at the 2020 “Taste of the NFL.”

KARL MONDON/STAFF

Hut, hut, bite!

A Bay Area pitmaster and a pastrami specialist join the returning (food) lineup this season

BY LINDA ZAVORAL

Levi’s Stadium is open again — for football and for food. The 49ers Faithful will find a huge lineup of Bay Area restaurant favorites curated by Levi’s and the stadium’s hospitality partner, Levy. Many are locally based vendors who lost out on sales last season during the pandemic shutdown — and are thrilled they’ll be serving fans in person again.

The offerings include two meaty menus new to the stadium, an award-winning pizzaiolo and other locally owned enterprises, plus dishes from the stadium’s in-house executive chef.

Here’s a sampling of new food choices as well as updates on some of the vendors returning from the 2019-20 season, the last time fans dined here on Marie DeBartolo Way.

NewThe Shop by Chef Rodney Baca: This San Jose chef, who specializes in upscale comfort food, will make his signature pastrami — house-cured and topped with maple aioli coleslaw, pineapple molasses mustard, housemade pickles and caramelized onions — and a BLT panini with smoked maple bacon, truffled burrata and red wine-marinated tomatoes.

Smoking Pig BBQ: One of the South Bay’s biggest barbecue draws for the last decade, Paul and Jessica Reddick’s restaurant will offer the best from their San Jose and Fremont barbecue menus. That means ribs, pulled pork, burnt ends, burgers, beans, cornbread and yes, the macaroni and cheese studded with smoked meat.

Top: The Smoking Pig is famous for its burnt ends. ARIC CRABB/STAFF ARCHIVES

Above: Mouthwatering burgers like this Shiitake Jack version are a hallmark of Joey Camacho’s Konjoe Burger Bar.

COURTESY OF BAYAR DOOLITTLE

Returning

Blue Line Pizza: This Bay Area-born pizzeria with a name that pays tribute to Chicago will again fill up the Faithful with both deep-dish and thin-crust pizza, CEO Angela Pace says. Choose from pepperoni, cheese or the classic combo, with Italian sausage, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, mozzarella and marinara sauce.

The Chairman: Curtis Lam’s popular Asian street food truck will create its signature bao stuffed with miso-glazed pork belly and pickled daikon, along with several others: karaage chicken, spicy chicken, miso-cured tofu and Coca-Cola braised pork. A Levi’s exclusive loads that Cola pork atop fries.

ChurWaffle: The Burgess Brothers of Sacramento will make chicken with cornbread waffles, topped with peach maple syrup; mini waffles with strawberries; and spicy corndogs. They’ll be pouring Rufus Burgess Golden Ale, a tribute to their great-great-grandfather, who migrated to Gold Rush country in 1849.

Iguanas: The Orozco family’s restaurants are known for their 5-pound Burritozilla. At the stadium, however, they will be wrapping carne asada, beans, rice, cheese, guacamole, sour cream and salsa in a more manageable “super” burrito size. The menu also includes loaded Zilla fries and nachos.

Konjoe Burger Bar: Joey Camacho’s local enterprise, a Santa Clara fave with a location at the Monticello complex across town, will be back with burgers made with California-sourced beef, artisanal buns and local produce and topped with Konjoe sauce. Fries too.

Sandi’s Soul Food: Santa Clara chef-caterer Sandra Dailey and her team will make seafood jambalaya and gumbo (both with chicken andouille), macaroni and cheese (with or without bacon), and new this year, Cajun corn on the cob. Dessert time calls for her signature peach and berry cobbler cups.

Starbird: These folks helped launch the local fried chicken mania back in 2014 in Sunnyvale, then expanded throughout the Bay Area. This season they’ll be serving crispy chicken tenders with two housemade sauces and seasoned fries, both cooked in non-GMO rice bran oil, and fresh lemonade.

Tony G’s: Pizza king Tony Gemignani’s Slice House will be back at multiple Levi’s locations. In the rotation will be the pizza he created specially for Niners fans, Tony’s Tailgate, with meatballs, pepperoni, salami, bacon, ricotta, mozzarella and green onions.

PlusLevy chefs at Levi’s: The menu’s not quite ready for primetime, but the stadium’s executive chef, Jon Severson, and his staff have spent the summer creating new dishes starring farm-fresh produce and herbs from the Faithful Farm on the stadium’s roof.

Top: ChurWaffles —- they’re a churrowaffle hybrid — will come in both sweet and savory varieties at Levi’s Stadium this season. PHOTO COURTESY OF MATTHEW BURGESS

Left: The Bay Area’s Blue Line Pizza will feed 49ers fans both deep-dish and thincrust slices. COURTESY OF BLUE LINE PIZZA

Sourdough Sam

49ers’ mascot keeps Faithful jumping with uber energy, ‘Happy’ dancing

BY CHUCK BARNEY

Sourdough Sam is touted in these parts as “the hardest working mascot in the NFL.”

He’s also the biggest 49ers fan around — at least in terms of hat size.

A fun-loving gold prospector with a prodigious beard and an appetite for sourdough bread, he’s been pumping up fans since the team’s days at Candlestick Park. Now, with his miners pick high in the air, Sam leads the 49ers on the field at Levi’s Stadium.

It’s a job that requires great conditioning and uber energy, so when not leading cheers, he gets his cardio workouts in and fuels up with good food. During the offseason, Sam enjoys meeting young fans at 49er youth camps, schools, birthday parties and other events. And he reportedly greets everyone — even Los Angeles Rams supporters — with a wide smile and a powerful fist bump.

In the run-up to the new football season, Sourdough Sam took time from his busy schedule to answer a few penetrating questions in a super-exclusive interview.

QWe think it’s cool how you get into the games for free and hang out on the field. But what’s the best thing about being a mascot?

AThe best thing about (it) is having the power to elevate the crowd’s energy before, during and after a game. That energy is needed most when the team is

running out onto the field and in the fourth quarter of a close game. Q

Describe yourself in three words.

empower Bay Area youth to lead healthy lifestyles by engaging in physical activity and nurturing the growth of student athletes beyond the playing field. We do a variety of exercises for 60 minutes. At the end, we bust out into a dance party. I LOVE to dance!

QWhat makes 49ers fans so special?

AThey are named the Faithful for a reason. Even at away games, you can find a sea of red and gold. Win or lose, our fans always represent.

San Francisco 49ers mascot Sourdough Sam takes the field each game, whether it’s a home game or, in this case, Super Bowl XLVII at the New Orleans Superdome in 2013.

QIf you held a draft for a mascot dream team, who would be your top picks?

ALou Seal, S.J. Sharkie, Swoop (Philadelphia Eagles), Benny Da Bull (Chicago Bulls).

QYou clearly love being the center of attention. How do you handle all the fame and stay grounded?

AI have Coach DC, my mascot manager, to keep me humble and focused. You can reach out to him for appearances or even for an item autographed by me. DC always has my back. (For booking information and fun facts, go to sourdough.sam@49ers.com).

A

The people’s mascot. Q

Do you have a favorite dance song?

A Yeah. “Happy” by Pharrell Williams.

QWhat’s your No. 1 go-to move when you want to get the Levi’s Stadium crowd stoked?

A

I would say my classic “GO-NINERS!” signs. They always get the crowd fired up.

Q You are obviously in fantastic shape. Tell us about your workout regime. A

I keep in shape with 49ers PREP workouts. (They)

QWho is your fiercest mascot rival? And why? A

The Seattle Seahawks mascot, Blitz. ... DUH!

QGive us the inside dish. Are you pals with other mascots? Is there a professional mascot association?

AWe are all great friends. Although we may disagree about which team is the best, we actually get together annually for our NFL Mascot Summit where awards are given out. I won Stunt of the Year in 2019 for riding a Big Wheel down a very curvy street in San Francisco.

QWow, that’s impressive. So if you, Lou Seal (Giants), Stomper (A’s) and S.J. Sharkie (Sharks) ever got together over dinner, what do you think you’d discuss?

AIf we got together for dinner that would be EPIC! I’m sure we would discuss who’s going to pay for dinner.

QIf the 49ers ever needed you to play in a pinch, what position would best showcase your skills?

AI would be the kicker like Robbie Gould! I love kicking, and I’ve got a strong leg to boot. In fact, I’m shocked that I haven’t gotten a call from (49ers general manager) John Lynch yet!

QTo be honest, your wardrobe — jeans and jersey — is rather limited. Do you ever dream of stepping out in Gucci or Brioni?

AThere’s nothing I love more than getting down in my Levi’s 501 Jeans.

QHirsute men everywhere want to know: How do you keep your beard looking so good?

A I wash it with shampoo containing gold flakes. Keeps my beard soft and glowing all day.

NHAT V. MEYER/ STAFF ARCHIVES

CLEARING A PATH

49ers hope fortified offensive line, led by the most expensive player to ever man the position, can pave the way to another Super Bowl championship

STORY BY CAM INMAN ILLUSTRATION BY DAVIDE BARCO

Drafting Trey Lance as Jimmy Garoppolo’s heir apparent at quarterback was the 49ers’ attentiongrabbing move this offseason.

Priority 1A was a little less splashy, but required a record-setting contract and just might hold the key to the 49ers’ hopes of returning to the Super Bowl.

Improving their offensive line became an obvious mission, not just to complement whoever is at quarterback, but also block for whoever is carrying the ball in a run-oriented attack.

So the 49ers re-signed left tackle Trent Williams to the richest contract ever for an offensive lineman.

That was $138 million well spent, say Williams’ teammates. “You can’t pay too much for a guy like that,” fullback Kyle Juszczyk said this spring. “He’s a guy that puts you over the top and in that championship caliber.”

Williams has the seventh-richest contract in the NFL, one spot ahead of Garoppolo, the guy he’s supposed to protect. So what can Williams possibly do to be worth more than virtually everyone else in the league?

“This guy is actually moving defensive linemen into the laps of linebackers, back into the secondary, and that just doesn’t really happen in the NFL,” Juszczyk says.

Even at 6-foot-5 and nearly 320 pounds, Williams can’t do it all. So the 49ers brought in center Alex Mack, a six-time Pro Bowler from Cal. They also used the draft to add more depth, taking guard Aaron Banks in the second round and Jaylon Moore in the fifth.

There’s also an historical element to the franchise’s desire to fortify its offense from the front five: reliable offensive lines escorted the 49ers to five Super Bowl wins — and nearly two more.

Can this group pave the way for Super Bowl championship No. 6?

We’ll see.

Offensive linemen are usually the least known players on the team. Get to know the 49ers’ guys.

Daniel Brunskill (60), here celebrating a 49ers victory with defensive end Alex Barrett, can play anywhere on the offensive line and is battling for the starting job at right guard.

LEFT TACKLE Trent Williams

Age: 33

Height/Weight: 6-5/318

Experience: 11th year College: Oklahoma

Did you know? Williams picked up the nickname “Silverback” from college teammates because he was such a beast on the field. Since then Williams has accumulated all sorts of gorilla-themed momentos, including a huge tattoo of one on his back. It reportedly took two sevenhour sessions and cost around $3,000 for that ink. … Was the fourth overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft and was introduced with his nickname after he had dared NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to use it. … He’s a cancer survivor, having a cancerous growth removed from his head in April 2019 and missing the season. … Last season was his eighth Pro Bowl selection.

Analysis: His record contract (six years, $138.06 million) is essentially a three-year pact with club options through 2026. His athleticism, brute strength and leadership resurfaced at a Pro Bowl level last season in his 49ers’ debut, after sitting out 2019 to end his Washington tenure.

Quote to note: “Trent’s passion for the game could be felt from day one, and this fits exactly with our vision of the 49er way and a championship culture.” — 49ers general manager John Lynch

LEFT GUARD

Laken Tomlinson

Age: 29

Height/Weight: 6-3/320

Experience: 7th year College: Duke

Did you know? Tomlinson was born in Jamaica and lived there until he was 10 and moved to Chicago with his mother. Graduated from Duke with degrees in both evolutionary anthropology and psychology. He plans to become a neurosurgeon after his football career ends — he has even shadowed doctors during his spare time to begin preparing for that move. … Was originally drafted by the Detroit Lions with the 28th overall pick in 2015.

Analysis: He’s been extremely durable the past four seasons since coming from Detroit. Will he be phased out in favor of a younger, cheaper option, such as Aaron Banks, an All-American left guard last year for Notre Dame?

Quote to note: “I want to improve the healthcare system in Jamaica. I believe it is the best way to directly help people in need and make a difference.” — Laken Tomlinson

ELSA/GETTY IMAGES NHAT V. MEYER/STAFF ARCHIVES

NHAT V. MEYER/ STAFF ARCHIVES

CENTER Alex Mack

Age: 35

Height/Weight: 6-4/311

Experience: 13th year College: Cal

Did you know? In 2008, Mack became the first player from Cal to win the William V. Campbell Trophy as college football’s top scholar-athlete — some call it the academic Heisman. He graduated magna cum laude with a 3.61 GPA in legal studies and didn’t stop there, earning a Master’s in Education. … Mack was named to the NFL All-Decade Team of the 2010s by the Pro Football Hall of Fame and for good reason — he was named to the Pro Bowl six times during that span (2011, 2014 & 2016-19).

… The 21st overall pick in the 2009 draft, he spent seven seasons with the Browns and then the past five with Atlanta before signing with the 49ers as a free agent.

Analysis: The Cal product expects to excel in the same system he played under Kyle Shanahan with the Browns (2014) and the Falcons (2015-16), all while curing the 49ers’ center conundrum.

Quote to note: “Any time Kyle’s offense has been successful, it pretty much starts from center. It’s the brain trust of our offense and offensive line. To get a Pro Bowler who plays at the highest level possible since he entered the NFL, you can’t ask for anything better than that.” — 49ers left tackle Trent Williams

RIGHT GUARD Aaron Banks

Age: 23

Height/Weight: 6-5/338

Experience: 1st year College: Notre Dame

Did you know? Banks is from Alameda and his dad, Lamont, is a lifelong Raiders fan. So much so that, reportedly, Lamont once forbade a family member from bringing 49ers gear into the house at a birthday party. … Banks was taken with the 48th pick in the draft — a spot the Raiders held before trading it to the 49ers. … Was given the nickname “The Dancing Bear” by former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chip Long due to his energy and playing style.

Analysis: Local kid makes good. Local kid could make the 49ers’ offensive line really good, actually. The El Cerrito High product’s listed weight is heavier than the 49ers’ traditional lineman, but Banks brings athleticism and a competitive edge.

Quote to note: “It’s definitely made the transition very easy. I didn’t have to travel very far. After the draft I just came down the road, so that was really nice.” — Aaron Banks, who was in Sonoma when he was drafted by the 49ers

RIGHT TACKLE Mike McGlinchey

Age: 26

Height/weight: 6-8/291

Experience: 4th year College: Notre Dame

Did you know? For the My Cleats campaign during Week 14 of the 2019 season, McGlinchey represented the charity Autism Speaks in honor of his younger brother, Jim. ... Mike is the oldest of six siblings and has quite a bit of family in the Philadelphia area, so on Notre Dame home game days there were typically dozens of the McGlinchey clan tailgating and then rooting on Mike and the Irish. … Mike was so big for his age as a child that his parents brought his birth certificate to his basketball games to assure everyone he was of the proper age. … Pro Football Focus gave McGlinchey the second-highest runblocking grade out of any tackle in the NFL (behind only teammate Trent Williams).

Analysis: A contract extension is coming if he bounces back from last year’s passprotection blunders and continues to dominate as a run blocker. The 49ers have picked up his 2022 fifth-year option at $10.9 million, so they could return him on that if they’re not sold on his 2021 efforts.

Quote to note: “My dad is about five foot, eleven inches. My mom is five foot, eight inches. So, it must have been a genetic mutation.” — Mike McGlinchey on where he got his size

Right tackle Mike McGlinchey has been one of the most dominant run-blockers in the NFL, last season ranking behind only 49ers teammate Trent Williams, according to Pro Football Focus.

TOP RESERVES

Daniel Brunskill

Age: 27

Height/Weight: 6-5/300

Experience: 3rd year College: San Diego State

Analysis: Versatile gem could play anywhere on the line. He’ll compete for the starting spot at right guard and could be the No. 2 center (and perhaps the No. 3 tackle).

Colton McKivitz

Age: 25

Height/Weight: 6-6/301

Experience: 2nd year College: West Virginia

Analysis: A 2020 fifth-round pick and former West Virginia offensive tackle, he started at right guard for three late-season games. Such versatility helps his stock.

Jaylon Moore

Age: 23

Height/Weight: 6-5/315

Experience: 1st year College: Western Michigan

Analysis: The 49ers initially projected moving this fifth-round pick to guard but he lined up as a left tackle in offseason workouts, and the swing tackle job is open after Justin Skule’s knee injury in June.

Shon Coleman

Age: 29

Height/Weight: 6-6/310

Experience: 5th year College: Auburn

Analysis: A 2016 Browns’ draft pick and 16-game starter for them in 2017, he’s yet to make his official 49ers debut and is competing to be their No. 3 tackle this year. He was inactive throughout 2018, sat out 2019 with an ankle fracture and was a Covid opt-out last year.

Tom Compton

Age: 32

Height/Weight: 6-5/315

Experience: 9th year College: South Dakota

Analysis: He offers veteran insurance and system familiarity. He played in seven games last year and started three at right guard.

JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO/ STAFF ARCHIVES

Hannah Gordon

49ers’ top exec is changing the way we love football

BY MARTHA ROSS

Hannah Gordon is often called one of the most powerful women in the NFL. But some sports commentators say Gordon, the San Francisco 49ers chief administrative officer and general counsel, is one of the most powerful people in the NFL. Period. The accolade comes from Gordon’s role in changing the way fans and the larger public think about football, both as a sport and a cultural institution.

Gordon, a “very proud” Oakland native and alumna of College Preparatory, UCLA and Stanford Law School, rejects the idea that football’s diehard fans are macho, beer-guzzling men. She cites an NFL statistic that nearly half its fans are women, and notes that the 49ers, reflecting Bay Area values, have been at the forefront of NFL efforts to launch clubs for female and avid LGBTQ fans and to increase hiring of executives who are women and people of color

QDid you play sports as a child? What kind of career did you dream of?

ANo. I was a dancer. But I’ve always been competitive. I totally wanted to be Anna Wintour and editor-in-chief of Vogue because I loved to write and I love fashion, but my writing skills were much better than my art or sewing skills. When I got to UCLA, I fell in love with sports.

QWhat appealed to you about it?

AHonestly, I was so homesick, I started watching a ton of sports. During my freshman year, it was the first year of the Lakers’ “three-peat.” Hannah Storm was hosting the halftime show for every finals game, and she had these smart, witty conversations with other people about sports. I thought, “How do I do that job?”

I applied to the Daily Bruin, and covered women’s tennis my sophomore year, football for my junior and senior years, and that led me on a path here.

To me, football is the greatest sport ever invented. It’s a chess match intellectually, and a physical gladiator sport at the same time. I think it’s such a unique combination of the physical and the mental. It’s a beautiful and brutal game.

QWhat does a general counsel do in the world of football?

AIn this stadium, when you see the Bud Light sign, there’s a big contract with Bud Light to put that sign up there. When you look at this beautiful field, we have to buy this turf or these seats. There’s also employee contracts, sponsorships, litigation, risk management.

QWhat about your other roles?

AWith our community impact work, there’s the 49ers Foundation, which essentially brings health and wellness to kids, primarily through our free, co-ed flag football teams. We also go into schools and do camps.

With fan engagement, we were the first team to start a platform for LGBTQ fans in all of professional sports. This year, I finally got to tap into my fashion designer dreams and design our Pride collection. We did the first ever genderless retail line in the NFL. For WON, the Women of the Niners, we do activities to recognize avid fans who may have not always felt invited into the NFL.

QYou probably get asked this a lot, but as a woman in a male-dominated industry, have you encountered sexism?

AYes, of course. But when I talk to women in other fields, they’ve also encountered sexism. It’s not unique to football and other sports. There’s nothing about the game of football that is sexist. It’s just, this is the society we live in.

QHave you seen a growing recognition within the NFL about the need to be more inclusive and be concerned about social justice?

for the 49ers, as well as the author of a new book, “SZN for Change.”

ADefinitely. (At the 49ers) I don’t have a formal role in increasing diversity, but I enjoy doing that because it makes us a better business. We’re the first NFL team to introduce a diversity interviewing policy. When another team adopts a diversity interviewing policy or when another team starts doing LGBTQ Pride events, that feels like a ripple effect of the work we’re doing.

QWhat have been really exciting moments for you at the 49ers?

AThere are so many! Building this stadium is certainly one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever worked on. The first time we saw people come into the building, and it came to life for a game, that was thrilling. I would also say that winning two NFC championships was definitely among the highlights of my career.

QYour baby is due in November. Will you take time off then?

AI am a workaholic, so one of the things is having to give up control for a period of time. My original plan was to take two weeks off, and people were like, “You are such a psychopath.”

QBoth with the 49ers and in your new book, “SZN for Change,” you’re focused on being a mentor and on the importance of promoting mental health. Does that focus come from your experience in sports?

AOne of the many reasons I love sports is that there is such a passion for understanding how human biology and our brains work. To perform at an optimal physical level, you have to perform at your optimal mental level.

Hannah Gordon is the chief administrative officer and general counsel

ARIC CRABB/STAFF

Picking a jersey has uniform appeal among 49ers’ players and fans

Nostalgic Faithful can’t wait to take a number for must-buy throwbacks

BY CAM INMAN

Henry Vega has “horrible luck” buying 49ers jerseys — until this year, he hopes.

His past purchases came the same seasons in which knee injuries struck NaVorro Bowman (2013), Jimmy Garoppolo (2018) and Nick Bosa (2020).

None of those players are from Reno, however. Vega, 30, is from there, as is wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

“This year, I bought a Brandon Aiyuk jersey since he’s the hometown kid, so I hope the curse is over,” Vega, 30, said of adding Aiyuk’s No. 11 to his collection. “Knock on wood.”

Aiyuk is coming off a strong rookie season. The 49ers are not. That hasn’t dampened fans’ hopes for a rebound.

Skyrocketing jersey sales reflect that. Why are jerseys a hot topic this year? A couple of reasons:

THROWBACK MODEL

If the 49ers had their way, they’d wear throwback uniforms for all 17 regular-season games (yes, a game was added this year).

“I made that request early to see if we could wear throwbacks for the entire season because it’s our 75th anniversary,” said Alex Chang, the 49ers’ chief marketing officer.

Left: Football fan Sergio Carmona’s collection of San Francisco 49ers jerseys is an impressive one.

ARIC CRABB/STAFF

“The league typically allows up to two games per season (in throwbacks),” Chang added. “After some back and forth, it landed with six regular-season games.”

For those keeping score, the 1994 red throwbacks will debut in the Sept. 26 home opener against Green Bay, the first of four games in that same look from their last Super Bowl win.

The ’94 white throwbacks — as regaled in the 2019 team’s road to the Super Bowl — will reappear for two road games. The four other home games feature regular red jerseys, and the other seven road trips will be in regular white garb.

How popular are the much-anticipated red throwbacks?

“In the first 48 hours, around 10,000 throwback jerseys were sold,” Chang said. “That was the largest NFL alternate jersey launch in Fanatics (online store) history.”

For jersey collectors, throwbacks are a must-buy, even if the ’94 theme might be getting a little tired.

“I like how they’re doing it. It gives a nod to the other teams,” said San Jose native Anthony Cassillas, 38. “But I’m living a little in the past, especially when they keep going with the ’94s. We’ve got to do something so this team doesn’t live in the past for that ’94 era.”

A 26-year Super Bowl victory drought hasn’t stopped fans from buying jerseys.

“I used to collect them a lot as a kid,” said Sergio Carmona, 34, of San Jose. “And as I grew older, it morphed into about one a year, especially when they come out with these throwbacks from our last Super Bowl (winning) season — that’s really fond in my heart.”

The throwback also proved irresistible to Jeff Vilardi, a 46-year-old fan living in Kane’ohe, Hawaii.

“I recently purchased a standard, red Bosa jersey and a throwback, ’94 red (George) Kittle one,” said Vilardi, who in 40 years as a fan has collected more than 60 jerseys.

“It’s really hard to invest in any more Garoppolo merchandise at this point, but I’m one of the few that still believe Jimmy can get it done,” Vilardi added. “A Trey Lance jersey will be ordered soon.”

The 49ers ordered up Lance with the No. 3 overall draft pick. The popular rookie will wear the No. 5 jersey, and the throwback model sold out barely 24 hours later in sizes small, medium and large.

SINGLE DIGITS

An NFL rule change this year allows single-digit uniform numbers for all players except linemen. Only quarterbacks, kickers and punters were previous one-digit wonders.

Sure enough, several players preferred the slimming look of a single digit and changed their numbers. That includes 49ers defensive backs Jimmie Ward (No. 1), Jason Verrett (No. 2), and Emmanuel Moseley (No. 4).

“When I saw (the rule change), I thought about going back to those TCU days and rockin’ that No. 2,” Verrett said.

The only single-digit unavailable among 49ers: Steve Young’s retired No. 8.

Lance is the only NFL rookie to claim No. 5. He may not want to throw in the direction of No. 5 when he faces the Los Angeles Rams, because All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey switched to that from No. 20.

New jersey numbers mean new jerseys for fans who collect them — and more money for the teams and players. For example, linebacker Fred Warner switched from Nos. 48 to 54 after his rookie year — and he may have flirted with going to No. 4 this year upon the rule change.

“When Fred came in with (No.) 48, I had to get another jersey to get it signed,” said Cassilas, who now lives in Newman. “I like that they get the numbers they want, but for the fans, one year you bought a jersey then you’ve got to get another. It hurts the fans, but they’ll buy it anyway.

“At least, I will.”

Ward invoked his seniority as the longest-tenured 49er to beat wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the No. 1 jersey, but he’s no stranger to the jersey-changing game. The defensive back is changing his number for the third time in eight seasons with the 49ers (previously wearing Nos. 25 and No. 20) and will be the first 49er to wear that digit during a regular-season game since quarterback Troy Smith in 2010.

COST OF BUSINESS

Jersey fanatics are, in Chang’s words, “super passionate and every detail matters to them.”

So, when online orders arrived, many fans fumed that the 49ers’ 75th-anniversary, diamond-shaped patch was ironed on rather than stitched. That went for all NFL teams, and online descriptions were amended. But the stitched patch was sold exclusively at the 49ers’ team store at Levi’s Stadium.

The online price tag for jerseys: typically $139 to $169. The price goes up with stitched numbers and names or, as Chang described it, as “the chassis of the jersey becomes more advanced and gets closer to what’s on the field.”

Left: Sergio Carmona, his wife Elizabeth, son Sergio Jr., 3, and daughter, Myah, 7, right, showcase their San Francisco 49ers jerseys. Carmona has 21 49ers jerseys in his collection and his family’s collection totals more than 30 uniform tops.

Above: Several jersey purists fumed when they discovered the 49ers’ 75thanniversary patch was ironed on rather than stitched onto jerseys purchased online. The stitched patch was sold exclusively at the team store at Levi’s Stadium.

ARIC CRABB/STAFF

Colin Kaepernick’s initial NFL jersey, from his one-play debut in 2011 at Philadelphia, fetched $128,000 in an online auction in December. Julian’s Auctions claimed it as the most expensive NFL jersey sold at auction.

Three 49ers ranked among the NFL’s top-30 selling jerseys the past year: Kittle (No. 8), Garoppolo (No. 25) and Bosa (No. 29).

While throwback jerseys remain trendy, the NFL offers fewer options than the NBA, for example, which has more games and can do more city-edition jerseys or promote civic efforts.

Ah, but the 49ers do have helmets they can alternate, and an NFL guideline this summer advised teams to have special helmets that pair with throwbacks to recreate the historically accurate look. For example, the 49ers’ 1994 throwback helmets are actually a version worn by the 1955 team, whose helmets were red with a silver stripe down the middle.

A red helmet would not be in play until next year. But the 49ers likely won’t be swayed from their golden domes.

“There always could be minor updates but our look is so classic and stands the test of time,” Chang said. “Both our standard uniforms and alternates, we’re really happy with them.”

So are the fans, whose closets are lined with seemingly every color, version, number and star from the current team, as well as from decades gone by.

49ERS

Schedule at a glance

BY CAM INMAN

HOME AWAY BYE

SEPT. 12 | 10 a.m. (PT) on FOX

AT DETROIT LIONS

The 49ers were installed early as 7 1/2-point favorites (biggest among Week 1 games). The Lions unveil a new coach (Dan Campbell) and quarterback (former Ram Jared Goff), the latter having lost his last four starts vs. the 49ers while committing six turnovers.

SEPT. 19 | 10 a.m. on FOX

AT PHILADEPHIA EAGLES

Another first-year coach (Nick Sirianni) will welcome in the 49ers, who will have stayed at The Greenbrier in West Virginia for a second straight year between backto-back road games.

SEPT. 26 | 5:20 p.m. on NBC

VS GREEN BAY PACKERS

For all the quarterback drama sure to engulf this prime-time game, don’t forget that Raheem Mostert ran for 220 yards and four touchdowns against the Packers in the 2019 season’s NFC Championship rout.

OCT. 3 | 1:05 p.m. on FOX

VS SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

The Seahawks have never visited Levi’s Stadium this early in a season since it opened in 2014. Santa Clara County’s health code forced the 49ers to host Seattle last year in Arizona — a 26-24 season-ending loss.

OCT. 10 | 1:25 p.m. on FOX

AT ARIZONA CARDINALS

Speaking of State Farm Stadium, the 49ers’ only win in four games there last season was against the host Cardinals, who brought in J.J. Watt and A.J. Green as veteran reinforcements.

OCT. 17

BYE

This is the NFL’s earliest bye week. A premature pause worked out OK in 2019, when the 49ers sat idle in Week 3.

OCT. 24 | 5:20 p.m. on NBC

VS INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Who will be the 49ers QB when DeForest Buckner makes his Levi’s Stadium return, 1½ years after the defensive lineman’s surprising trade to Indy?

OCT. 31 | 10 a.m. on FOX

AT CHICAGO BEARS

Justin Fields could be starting at QB for the Bears and looking to prove he should have been the 49ers’ pick at No. 3 overall. The 49ers lost on Halloween 2004 at Soldier Field (23-13).

Is a repeat performance in store? Raheem Mostert ran for four touchdowns against Green Bay in the 2020 NFC Championship Game.

JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO/ STAFF ARCHIVES

NOV. 7 | 1:25 p.m. on FOX

VS ARIZONA CARDINALS

Memo to 49ers cornerbacks: Blanket that DeAndre Hopkins guy, who had 14 catches on 16 targets for 150 yards in his last trip to Santa Clara.

NOV. 15 | 5:15 p.m. on ESPN

VS LOS ANGELES RAMS

As the prime-time cameras constantly pan on coaches Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, the 49ers’ fortified offensive line must focus on Aaron Donald, the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in three of the past four seasons.

NOV. 28 | 1:25 p.m. on FOX

VS MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Forget about Shanahan and Kirk Cousins’ bromance. The 49ers defense has bigger issues in stopping Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen.

DEC. 5 | 5:20 p.m. on NBC

AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

The 49ers are 5-15 at what’s been renamed Lumen Field, and they’ve lost 9 of 10 visits to the Pacific Northwest since 2012.

DEC. 12 | 10 a.m. on CBS AT

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon and Ja’Marr Chase could be a dynamic trio — if not for the mundane supporting cast and the franchise’s annual malaise.

DEC. 19 | 1:05 p.m. on CBS VS

ATLANTA FALCONS

New coach Arthur Smith should have a pretty good feel for how rookie tight end Kyle Pitts factors in with Matt Ryan and a Julio Jones-less offense.

DEC. 23 | 5:20 p.m. on NFL Network

AT TENNESSEE TITANS

Speaking of Julio Jones, the Titans have him to unleash on the 49ers (see: 2019 Falcons road win) along with two-time NFL rushing champion Derrick Henry on a Thursday night in Nashville.

JAN. 2 | 1:05 p.m. on CBS VS HOUSTON TEXANS

Who will stand atop the NFC West?

1. 49ERS (last season: 6-10, last place)

Despite a trade wish list, Russell Wilson didn’t get traded and will return as quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks with two of the NFL’s best receivers, D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

All eyes are on quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and top draft pick Trey Lance. Nick Bosa’s comeback and the 49ers’ overall health are arguably more essential for a return to Super Bowl contention. DeMeco Ryans replaces the energetic Robert Saleh as Kyle Shanahan’s defensive coordinator.

2. LOS ANGELES RAMS (10-6, first place)

Matthew Stafford escaped Detroit for a potential Hollywood ending to an underappreciated career. Can Sean McVay outwit Kyle Shanahan after getting swept by the 49ers the past two years, and how will Aaron Donald respond to his third defensive coordinator (Raheem Morris) in as many years?

3. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (12-4, first place)

Russell Wilson didn’t get traded to the four teams on his wish list, so it’s on with the “Go Hawks” routine for perhaps a final year. He’ll do it with one of the NFL’s best tandems to target, D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

NOV. 21 | 10 a.m. on FOX

AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Rookie QB Trevor Lawrence and coach Urban Meyer won’t be so new to the NFL by Week 11. A cross-country trip and early kickoff could trap the 49ers coming off a rivalry game.

So the Texans will fall to 0-15 after this one to clinch the NFL Draft’s top pick for next year, right?

JAN. 9 | 1:25 p.m. on FOX

AT LOS ANGELES RAMS

SoFi Stadium welcomes the 49ers before a potential return Feb. 13 for Super Bowl LVI. The 49ers also closed their 2017 and ’18 regular seasons at the Rams (win, loss).

4. ARIZONA CARDINALS (8-8, third place)

This is a make-or-break year for coach Kliff Kingsbury, so he needs Kyle Murray to speed up his ascent into a reliable playmaker. Adding J.J. Watt and A.J. Green won’t get Arizona out of its fiveyear playoff drought.

STEPH CHAMBERS/ GETTY IMAGES

Must-see games

BY JERRY MCDONALD

SEPT. 12

BALTIMORE AT RAIDERS

It’s an instant-read thermometer with regard to Raiders new coordinator Gus Bradley and whether his defense can hold up in a way last season’s unit never did. Here comes Lamar Jackson, J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards heading straight downhill in the first regular season game with fans (and owner Mark Davis) in the building for the first time. Also a first look at whether casting aside center Rodney Hudson and guard Gabe Jackson was really a good idea.

SEPT. 19

RAMS AT INDIANAPOLIS

Two hugely significant offseason moves at the most important position in the sport are scrutinized as two teams with postseason aspirations square off. Matt Stafford replaces Jared Goff at quarterback for the Rams. It’s a new system but an infinitely superior supporting cast in terms of coaches and teammates. Meanwhile, Carson Wentz, a former No. 2 overall pick who was broken and battered in Philly, was dispatched to the Colts as a replacement for the retired Philip Rivers.

SEPT. 26

GREEN BAY AT 49ERS

You’d think two teams considered serious Super Bowl contenders would have little to no quarterback drama. Not exactly. Aaron Rodgers could be back on the field, hosting “Jeopardy” or sitting at home giving off cryptic vibes as to his next move as Green Bay discovers whether Jordan Love can do what Rodgers did after Brett Favre retired. As for the 49ers, Trey Lance should have a role at this point — but will Jimmy Garoppolo still be the starter?

OCT. 3

TAMPA BAY AT NEW ENGLAND

Whatever reverse aging process Tom Brady is undergoing will get a big run-up as the outside world views it as a grudge match with Patriots coach Bill Belichick. It was bad enough that Brady was as good as ever without the man who helped make him famous, winning another Super Bowl while New England staggered to 7-9. But then came the real humiliation — replacing Belichick in Subway’s latest ad campaign. The horror.

OCT. 10

BUFFALO AT KANSAS CITY

You could make a case that these are two standard-bearers at quarterback in the AFC. The Bills’ Josh Allen’s skills as a passer and runner make him one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the NFL in the red zone, and Buffalo O-coordinator Brian Daboll has expertly blended his skill set into a dynamic offense. As for Patrick Mahomes, he remains the Stephen Curry of the NFL, combining stunning playmaking with creative brilliance and a heavy dose of charisma.

OCT. 17

SEATTLE AT PITTSBURGH

Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson was the NFL’s top player at this point a year ago. Then came a spate of turnovers, a few losses, falling out of the MVP race and then a strange offseason where he hinted through his agent he might be better off elsewhere. Ben Roethlisberger, on the other hand, is coming off a serious elbow injury for a last hurrah. Two of the NFL’s longest-standing coaches in a business famous for turnover square off in Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin and Seattle’s Pete Carroll.

Raiders tight end Foster Mareau caught a touchdown pass against the Colts last season, and he and the Raiders might be playing for a playoff spot when the teams meet in the rematch Jan. 2 in Indianapolis.

OCT. 24

KANSAS CITY AT TENNESSEE

Although it’s hard to envision the Chiefs being anything but great, the intrigue here lies with Tennessee. The Titans have the NFL’s most indestructible force in running back Derrick Henry set to run at the heart of an occasionally susceptible Kansas City defense. But the Titans also added Julio Jones to go along with A.J. Brown as a weapon for Ryan Tannehill, not to mention defensive additions such as Bud Dupree and Denico Autry to get after Mahomes.

NOV. 7

TENNESSEE AT RAMS

Can a running back win an MVP? Eight straight quarterbacks have won since Adrian Peterson in 2012 — Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Cam Newton, Matt Ryan, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Aaron Rodgers. If Derrick Henry can do enough damage against a Rams defense led by Aaron Donald and upstage Matt Stafford, he’ll be in the race.

NOV. 14

KANSAS CITY AT RAIDERS

There are Raiders fans who will look you in the face and say they’re “this close” to being as good as the Chiefs. They’re not, but you wouldn’t know it from their two head-to-head meetings in 2020. You could make the case that Jon Gruden out-coached Andy Reid twice after having gotten his clock cleaned upon his return to coaching. The Raiders won at Arrowhead and nearly won at home. Was it a fluke?

NOV. 21

ARIZONA AT SEATTLE

How can you not like the idea of watching Kyler Murray of the Cardinals and Russell Wilson of the Seahawks in a back-andforth battle of playmakers, who have taken the whole idea of insisting quarterbacks have the height of power forwards and made it obsolete. No one is looking for Dan McGwire or Brock Osweiler anymore, and Murray and Wilson are two reasons why.

NOV. 28

TAMPA BAY AT INDIANAPOLIS

OCT. 31

49ERS AT CHICAGO

Justin Fields really ought to be the quarterback by this point for Chicago, and if Trey Lance is in a part-time role for the 49ers, expect all the second-guessing heading in to a Halloween matchup. Did Kyle Shanahan err in bypassing the Ohio State star in favor of a more raw talent, in terms of skill set? The 49ers have Nick Bosa to make Fields uncomfortable, with 49ers tackles Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey attempting to slow Khalil Mack.

Have the Bucs effectively dealt with the hangover that sometimes comes from a Super Bowl championship? Is Brady as good as ever, and has Antonio Brown made it through Thanksgiving without imploding? They should find out in a tough road assignment whose quality will be determined by where Carson Wentz is in what the Colts hope is a rebound year.

DEC. 5

BALTIMORE AT PITTSBURGH

One of the NFL’s best rivalry games has Pittsburgh with a 27-23 advantage in the regular season but 1-3 in the playoffs. The Steelers have won six of the last 10, including a sweep last season. Pittsburgh has been historically difficult to run the ball on, which is the Ravens’ specialty with Lamar Jackson at quarterback. A nononsense, smashmouth matchup.

DEC. 12

DALLAS AT WASHINGTON

Yes, everyone will be watching Buffalo at Tampa Bay. But if Dak Prescott has identified himself as an MVP candidate and the Cowboys get rolling with Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb, the Dallas star could be restored to relevancy with one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses. And they’d be going against a Washington team that knows how to play defense.

DEC. 20

MINNESOTA AT CHICAGO

Either Minnesota is still in the race at this point against a division rival or coach Mike Zimmer will be looking around for his next opportunity after eight seasons leading the Vikings. The question will be whether Vikings running back Dalvin Cook is still standing or has been worn to a nub as the focal point of the offense. Khalil Mack and Co., await to supply more punishment.

DEC. 23

49ERS AT TENNESSEE

The last time the 49ers played the Titans in 2017, Derrick Henry was a complementary back for DeMarco Murray and gained 19 yards on seven carries, as San Francisco won 25-23 on Robbie Gould’s 45-yard field goal as time expired. Jimmy Garoppolo was 31 of 43 for 381 yards, but smart money says at this point it will be Trey Lance at the controls.

JAN. 2

RAIDERS AT INDIANAPOLIS

Shades of Christmas Eve in 2016 in the penultimate game of the season. Derek Carr outplays Andrew Luck at the Coliseum — until Carr breaks his leg. It was the impetus for a fade under Jack Del Rio the following season and the return of Jon Gruden. If all goes according to plan — this time on the road — beating the Colts is a springboard to the postseason.

JAN. 9

49ERS AT RAMS

Let’s face it, at this point in the season, one or both coaches could be resting key players for a playoff game to come. But if home-field advantage is on the line or one team can be the spoiler, this becomes a huge game with two of the best strategists in the game in Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, continuing a twice-a-year battle that could last another 10 years.

Left: Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) barrels into the season as an MVP candidate and is perhaps the best bet to become the first non-quarterback since 2012 to win the NFL’s top award.

PHOTO BY SILAS WALKER/GETTY IMAGES

ROAD TRIP, RAIDER NATION?

Bay Area Raiders fans spent last season watching their departed team play in an empty stadium in Las Vegas because of the pandemic. Now that fans can travel again, will they flock to the desert for the opportunity to cheer on the ‘Silver and Black’ in person again?

BY LAURENCE MIEDEMA

A fan holds a homemade “Stay in Oakland” sign in the Black Hole during a Raiders game at the Coliseum in Oakland in 2015.

Raiders fans in the Bay Area couldn’t do anything but watch from afar after their beloved “Silver and Black” packed its bags and moved to Las Vegas a year ago.

No one could fully experience the impact of the Raiders’ move from Oakland to Las Vegas last season because of COVID-19. When the pandemic hit, Raiders owner Mark Davis opted to keep fans out of Allegiant Stadium for the entire season rather than play before much smaller, socially distanced crowds. Davis said he didn’t want to choose some fans over others in the stadium’s first year of existence. The Raiders’ first season away from the Bay Area essentially became a broadcast-only event.

Now the “Death Star” — the nickname for the Raiders’ new stadium — is fully operational. With no travel restrictions either, the question is: Will the Bay Area contingent of “Raider Nation” pack their bags and join the team in Sin City? At least, on game days?

The Raiders won’t announce specifics other than to say the stadium is completely sold out this season. A team spokesman said

that 12 percent of fans who had season tickets in Oakland in 2019 purchased Personal Seat Licenses (ranging from $500 to $70,000).

The loyalty of Raider Nation obviously has been tested again, but the roots run deep. This is a fan base that welcomed the team back with open arms after the late Al Davis moved them to Los Angeles from 1982-94. The Raiders still averaged around 63,000 fans in their final season in Oakland.

“Family is family, and that’s what this is like to me,” said Phyllis Wright, better known as “Blitz Chick” around Coliseum tailgates as well as on social media. “For some of us, I think it’s imprinted in our DNA. You may try and turn your back on it, but something reaches out and brings you back.”

Marcellus Thomas, who grew up in Oakland and hosted “The Pillaging Podcast” from the Coliseum parking lot, expects fans to rally to watch their team in person, especially after not having had that opportunity a year ago.

“Are you really so bitter you’re not going to watch the games?”

Thomas said. “I know people who said last year they wouldn’t watch. But if you called them in the fourth quarter, they could tell you what just happened.”

Many displaced fans are either saving up for a game or two in Las

Above: Raiders owner Mark Davis opted to keep fans out of Allegiant Stadium for the 2020 season rather than play before much smaller, socially distanced crowds. Davis said he didn’t want to choose some fans over others in the stadium’s first year of existence.

ETHAN MILLER/GETTY IMAGES

Right: Phyllis Wright, who is also known as “Blitz Chick,” displays her Raiders memorabilia at her Pleasanton home. Wright has been collecting Raiders memorabilia since 1967.

JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO/BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

Vegas or watching on television. And since not all Raiders games will be televised locally, they’ll be buying NFL Sunday Ticket or watching in sports bars.

“I’d love for them to still be here, I’d love for us to still be able to get up every Sunday and tailgate (at the Coliseum),” said Sam Diaz, a longtime Raiders fan from Morgan Hill. “It is what it is. It’s still the Raiders. We might only be able to see them once now, but I’m excited to go.”

Getting to Las Vegas from the Bay Area is a short and relatively inexpensive flight. But for some, the in-person experience that was so much a part of their life is challenging because of the cost of game tickets. The average Raiders ticket price, according to The Action Network, jumped 75 percent from $87.78 when the team played in Oakland — a bargain by NFL standards — to the most expensive ticket in the league at $153.47 in Las Vegas.

Lucas Osegeura and his father drove from Windsor each week to see the Raiders play at home. He’s still a loyal supporter, but he’ll now have to watch from afar.

“Seeing the Raiders play anywhere but Oakland hurts my

soul, but I am sticking with them,” Oseguera said in an email. “I’m priced out of going to a game this year, which is terrible since I’ve been to every game since 1998.”

Wright said she is torn between seeing her team get the home she says it deserved and the financial reality that making eight home games in Las Vegas isn’t her most prudent use of funds.

“I’m 59 years old,” Wright said. “I can’t sit there and justify spending a quarter of my retirement for a PSL. I can’t justify that.”

Mark Carter, who grew up in East Oakland and attended Raiders games at the Coliseum from 1996 through 2019, purchased a Las Vegas PSL and called the new home “the reality of the unfamiliar.”

In an email, Carter said, “Transitioning to the stadium will be like dating again after breaking up from a long-term relationship. There will be a learning curve for sure; the seats, stadium, section, fans and corporate feel.”

One thing is certain: The move has been a bonanza for the Raiders. The franchise has never been worth more, going from an NFL weakling in terms of finances to the 26th most valuable franchise

Above: Raiders fans tailgate before the last Raiders home game played at the Coliseum in Oakland on Dec. 15, 2019. RAY CHAVEZ/STAFF ARCHIVES

Right: The average Raiders ticket price, according to The Action Network, jumped 75 percent from $87.78 when the team played in Oakland to the most expensive ticket in the league at $153.47 in Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. JEFF BOTTARI/ASSOCIATED PRESS

in all of sports, according to Forbes Magazine.

“The first thing that comes to mind is it’s a business. It’s a business whether you’re a player, coach or fan. But I feel bad for the fans who scheduled their lives during the fall and winter around games,” said former Raiders tackle Langston Walker, who grew up in Oakland and went to Bishop O’Dowd High.

Las Vegas will be a popular destination for fans of other teams, and some are wondering how many season-ticket holders will sell their seats at a profit and dilute the impact of the home crowd that was so much a part of the Raiders experience in Oakland. Don’t even get Raiders diehards started about how their otherworldly tailgating and the legendary Black Hole in the south side of the Coliseum stands can never be replicated.

“It’s an attractive destination,” former Raiders CEO Amy Trask said of Las Vegas. “There will be a lot of fans there for the Raiders, no doubt, but a more significant percentage of visiting fans, so it’s no longer going to be entirely silver and black in that stadium.”

Thomas is curious enough to make the trip to Las Vegas on a game weekend even if he doesn’t have tickets. He’ll always pull for the Raiders, but can’t help feeling sentimental about the Oakland experience.

“The demographics were different than anywhere else,” Thomas said. “No matter your political differences, your racial differences, we all came together on Sunday. You’re a Raider fan, you’re family. It’s something I’ll hold near and dear to my heart until the day I die.”

Jerry McDonald contributed to this story.

“I’d love for them to still be here, I’d love for us to still be able to get up every Sunday and tailgate (at the Coliseum). It is what it is. It’s still the Raiders.”

— Sam Diaz

8 great Bay Area sports bars for watching pro, college football

BY LINDA ZAVORAL

Sure, the couch was comfy for the 2020-21 football season, but it’s time to get out there with a bar full of your fellow Niners, Raiders, Cardinal, Bears or Spartans’ fans. Here’s a sampling of sports bars to check out again — or for the first time — as you break away from the home screen. Some are new, some are OG faves. And don’t forget that masks are back in. Team colors preferred.

The Old Pro PALO ALTO

This Stanford hangout has been around since 1964, when a young John Ralston coached the team in the then-AAWU conference. (Bonus points if you can name the four original members and, no, Stanford was not among them.) That was back in the bar’s El Camino Real days; for many years now, Ramona Street has been home to The Old Pro, its walls full of fascinating sports memorabilia.

The screens: More than 24 inside and outside.

In pre-pandemic times, sports fans caught up on old friendships, as well as the latest scores at Walnut Creek’s Stadium Pub. JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO/STAFF ARCHIVES

The menu: Only in California do the Pac-12 gameday eats include trendy, locally sourced fare such as Smoked Diestel Turkey Chili, made with organic, non-GMO turkey; an Avocado-Kale Caesar salad; and Crispy Brussels Sprouts with a Thai chile glaze. But they’ve got the obligatory wings, sliders and pizza, too.

There’s a full bar with 18 taps, primarily local craft brews.

Details: 541 Ramona St., Palo Alto; www.oldpropa.com

Jack’s Brewing Company, Sports Pub & Grill

FREMONT

You need a long name to cover all the roles that Jack’s plays. It’s a microbrewery, a sports hangout and a family restaurant. This longtime favorite has occupied a prime spot at the Hub for more then two decades, run the whole time by the Steadman-Wallace brother-sister duo.

The screens: Besides the 10-foot “monster screen,” there’s an 80-incher and 20 other TVs.

The menu: Regulars have made the beer-battered Arctic Cod and Chips, Jack’s BBQ Ribs and Giant Cheese Steaks the top sellers. There’s also a vast array of burgers, sandwiches and salads, and a childrens menu.

Sports-themed beers – the Grid Iron Amber Ale, the Hardwood Pale Ale and the Penalty Shot Porter – are brewed onsite. There’s also a full bar.

Details: 39176 Argonaut Way, Fremont; www.jacksbrewing.com

Double D’s Sports Grille

LOS GATOS

Dean and Darin Devincenzi may win “best sports bar in Silicon Valley” honors year after year, but they consider their place a restaurant first, bar second. Either way, like all good sports hangouts, it doubles as a museum, with Joe’s No. 16 jersey and other cool sports memorabilia on display.

The screens: 32, including an 85-incher and several 75s.

The menu: Six pasta dishes are already offered, and the Devincenzis plan to add to that lineup this season. Other customer favorites: Korean-Style Baby Back Ribs and the Three Alarm Fire, a fried chicken sandwich topped with pepper jack cheese, jalapeño slaw and chipotle aioli.

Los Gatos’ Double D’s Sports Grille doubles as a sports memorabilia museum, as well as a terrific spot to watch the game on one of their 20+ TVs. NHAT V. MEYER/STAFF ARCHIVES

You’ll find 10 craft brews on tap, along with a full bar for cocktails including their award-winning, tequila-based Smokey Wildflower.

Details: 354 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos; www.doubleds.com

Stadium Pub

WALNUT CREEK

Billed as Walnut Creek’s oldest sports bar, the Stadium Pub is nearing its 30th birthday. Fans pack this old-school place year-round, often spilling out onto the sidewalk where they can still catch a glimpse of the action on the screens inside.

The screens: Close to 50, with even more TVs being installed

The menu: Classic bar food plus housemade corned beef and kosher hot dogs and sausages. The French fries rate a menu category all their own: You can order them in their original style, spicy, cheesy, garlicky or topped with chili.

More than 15 beers are on tap. Signature cocktails include one designed for those early Sunday morning kickoffs, the house-made, “slightly spicy” Hail Mary Bloody Mary.

Details: 1420 Lincoln Ave., Walnut Creek; www.thestadiumpubwc.com

La Barrique SAN JOSE

This is the newest sports bar on the local scene, and it’s an unconventional one, to be sure. Entrepreneurs Helen and Harry Nguyen pulled together an impressive culinary team for their upscale French-Vietnamese concept, then decided to broaden the restaurant’s appeal.

The dining room at La Barrique in Vietnam Town in San Jose. NHAT V. MEYER/STAFF

The screens: A 200-inch TV in the dining room, plus other screens in the bar.

The menu: In the main room, it’s dishes like Duck Confit and Bouillabaisse. In the bar, you can order Banh Mi Sliders, Basil Wings and Viet Fries topped with hoisin, peanuts and cilantro.

If you’d like to replace high-fives with Champagne toasts, this is the place to do it. The long list of wines, sparkling and otherwise, favors France and California. Cocktails include the popular Lychee Frozé and the Trái Xoài (mango) Margarita. And yes, there are several beers on tap.

Details: 969 Story Road, San Jose, in the Vietnam Town center.

Henry’s BERKELEY

Steep yourself in Cal lore at this longtime hangout for Bears fans near campus. The Graduate Hotels group took over and refurbished this circa 1928 building a few years ago, but there is still plenty of blue and gold and they wisely kept Henry’s classic, wood-paneled decor. On game weekends, it’s a popular spot for outof-town fans, so you’ll always find a kindred spirit at the bar.

The screens: Two above the well-appointed bar.

The menu: By the time Nevada’s Wolf Pack heads into Memorial Stadium for the home opener, Henry’s culinary director will have a new menu of bar bites ready to debut.

There’s a full bar, with 12 brews on tap. Here, as at other Graduate Hotels across the country, bartenders will make the chain’s signature cocktail, the rumbased Adult Capri Sun, designed to bring back memories of those first legal sips.

Details: 2600 Durant Ave., Berkeley; www.graduatehotels.com/berkeley

Rookies Sports Lodge SAN

JOSE

Rookies offers sports fans their choice of two vibes. There is the “Cheers”-style lodge setting of the original, which opened in 2010, and the sleek urban feel of the newer downtown location. Or, as one local bar expert says, think of one as Candlestick, the other as Levi’s Stadium.

The screens: At the Meridian location, you’ll find 20 inside and 9 outside. Downtown has 33.

San Jose Earthquakes fans Leonel Naranjo, left, and Leyla Mujic, react to a goal by Sporting KC at Rookies Sports Lodge in downtown San Jose in July. NHAT V. MEYER/STAFF

The menu: Both locations serve burgers, wings, nachos, pizza, salads and bowls (Cajun, teriyaki) — and most sandwiches and burgers come with your choice of side dish, among them housemade chili, salad or chips with salsa. On Sundays, you can order breakfast/brunch.

There’s a monster list of about 40 craft beers on tap, with an emphasis on Bay Area brewers. Both locations also offer wine and a full bar.

Details: 1535 Meridian Ave. and 99 S. First St., San Jose; www.rookieslodge.com

The Lot City Center

SAN RAMON

Here’s another new, unconventional spot for gridiron fans. And it’s not a sports venue at all. But it seems the bar and grill at this movie complex located at the upscale City Center Bishop Ranch has become a go-to place for fans. It’s open, airy — and if the game’s lopsided, you can always take in a movie.

The screens: There’s a humongous one above the bar — actually nine screens that form a single image.

The menu: The Grilled Salmon, Salads and Flatbreads (think Prosciutto and Burrata) have been popular. There’s all-day breakfast also. Prefer to munch on popcorn while watching the game? The theater is always popping a fresh batch.

The Lot’s got a full bar, several signature cocktails (maybe Fly Me to Hawaii or A Day at the Spa?), and a huge wine list. Beer drinkers will find at least a dozen on tap.

Details: 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon; https://thelotent.com/city-center

Bartender Carlos Galindo mixes cocktails at The Lot sports bar at City Center Bishop Ranch in San Ramon in July.

JANE TYSKA/STAFF

Q&A Dave Flemming

On the air: Stanford alum a sportscasting voice for all seasons

BY CHUCK BARNEY

Bay Area sports fans mostly know Dave Flemming for his stellar work as a member of the San Francisco Giants broadcasting team.

But the Stanford grad also spent six seasons (2008-13) handling radio play-byplay duties for Cardinal football and now devotes many of his autumn days and nights crisscrossing the country to cover college football games for ESPN. Truly a man for all seasons (he also does college hoops for ESPN) and one of the hardest working sportscasters in America, Flemming, 45, took time recently to talk some football.

QSo why college football? Aren’t you busy enough?

AI’m definitely busy enough. But the feeling you get inside a jam-packed college football stadium, and the pride and the passion the fans have for their team, is different than any other sport. I’m not saying it’s better. It’s just different. Of course, it’s not all good. College football has had its share of scandals and other problems … But throughout history, it has given us some of the greatest spectacles in all of sports.

QThere has been talk about expanding the College Football Playoff. What’s your take?

AI’m open to it — with the hope that it works out the way we want it to work out. Sometimes these things lead to unintended consequences. Take the current playoff system. It has given us the most top-heavy era in college football — where three or four programs absolutely hog the bracket. I didn’t see that coming. I think expanding the playoff would alleviate some of that, but I don’t know for sure.

QYou’ve traveled the country covering football. Where’s your favorite place to go?

AAuburn, Alabama (population less than 70,000). The stadium is not the fanciest, and neither is the broadcast booth. But there’s something about the vibe there. On game days, everyone in the town, it seems, is tailgating. And the students are so into it. The passion is incredible, and the town is so charming.

QCollege football just doesn’t have the same kind of hold on the Bay Area. Is there anything the schools could do to change that?

AI wish they did a better job of marketing and reaching out to more than the alums. Obviously, the alums are the foundation of it all, and you need them. But in the effort to cater to them and procure every drop of revenue, the students and other fans get overlooked. It’s hard to find parking. You can’t just pull up and tailgate where you want to. That approach seems incredibly short-sighted. If I was in charge, I’d try to find ways to give up some of those dollars and think more long-term. More big picture. How do we make it easier for more people to be here?

QBest game you ever called?

AStanford’s 2011 upset of USC in triple overtime (56-48). Andrew Luck made probably the worst pass of his whole career. It was intercepted and run back for a touchdown with about two minutes to go in regulation (actually, 3:08). The LA Coliseum was shaking so hard, I thought it was going to collapse. Luck then led Stanford down the field to tie the game. And in overtime, he scored on every possession. It was otherworldly.

QYou have such a crazy schedule. How do you keep track of everything?

A There are times when my head is swimming. But one thing that helps me is that I’m good at forgetting. I’ll do a game

this week and you can ask me about it next week and I won’t be able to give you many details. It’s a weird skill. I can flush a game away and move on.

QAt the height of the pandemic, you had to ease up. How did you handle that?

AI really thought I would go out of my mind not being able to do the thing I love. But I must say, it allowed me to take a step back and learn to appreciate life in a different way. In my business, you can get consumed by the competitive nature of it: “Am I doing enough? Am I climbing the ladder?” That’s not a great way to approach life. The pandemic forced me to slow down and take stock. And, in a funny way, I now appreciate what I do even more. I’m having a blast.

QIs doing the NFL on your bucket list?

AIt’s not on my bucket list, but I’d like to give it a try sometime.

QDo you have any football play-by-play sportscasters you particularly admire?

AI grew up on Pat Summerall. I can’t model after him, but I sure loved watching him. But Lon Simmons is my football broadcasting idol.

QStanford has beaten Cal in 10 of the past 11 meetings. You must feel sorry for Cal, right?

A(Laughing) I never feel sorry for Cal. And I’ll never apologize for a Big Game win.

Announcer Dave Flemming covers a wide range of sports, from broadcasting the play-by-play for the San Francisco Giants to college football for ESPN. KARL MONDON/STAFF

Stanford schedule at a glance

SATURDAY, SEPT. 4 | 9 a.m.

VS KANSAS

STATE

Stanford finds itself in the Kickoff Classic against the Wildcats, who agreed to move the game from their campus to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Stanford’s most recent opener at a neutral site was a 62-7 win over Rice in Sydney, Australia, in 2017.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 11 | 7:30 p.m.

AT USC

After not meeting last year for the first time since 1945, the Trojans are back in their customary spot as Stanford’s conference opener.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18 | 5 p.m.

AT VANDERBILT

The Cardinal’s opening three-week road trip ends with a new opponent – Stanford has never faced the Commodores, who went 0-9 last season.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 25 | TBA VS UCLA

The Cardinal returns to play at Stanford Stadium for only the second time in 23 months. It will be hard for this game to top last year’s double-overtime win over the Bruins.

SATURDAY. OCT. 2 | TBA

VS OREGON

Both teams hope to have their QB situation settled by the time Stanford opens division play against the reigning Pac-12 champions.

FRIDAY, OCT. 8 | 7:30 p.m.

AT ARIZONA STATE

There will be a lot of attention on the sidelines after David Shaw ripped Arizona State for allegedly committing recruiting violations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SATURDAY, OCT. 16 | TBA

AT WASHINGTON STATE

Stanford wasn’t sad to see Mike Leach go

to Mississippi State after the Cougars won the last four games in this series. Last year’s game was canceled.

SATURDAY, OCT. 23 BYE

A much-needed breather for the Cardinal — the lone program in the country that will face only major-conference opponents (plus Notre Dame). And just two of the first seven are at home.

SATURDAY, OCT. 30 | TBA

VS WASHINGTON

In each of the last two seasons, the unranked Cardinal has upset Top 25 Washington teams. Will either team even be ranked this time?

FRIDAY. NOV. 5 | 7:30 p.m.

VS UTAH

The physical Utes are not the ideal team to face on a short week. Utah has won 3 of 4 against Stanford since joining the Pac-12.

SATURDAY, NOV. 13 | TBA

AT OREGON STATE

Stanford has won 11 straight over the Beavers, but the last two have been by a combined six points. This could be the year the Beavers finally break through.

SATURDAY, NOV. 20 | TBA VS CAL

Despite not having the usual trappings, last year’s Big Game didn’t disappoint. The Cardinal regained the Axe after blocking an extra point in the final minute. Stanford is 10-1 vs. Cal since 2010, but the past two losses have come at home.

SATURDAY, NOV. 27 | TBA

VS NOTRE DAME

Stanford may be in the spoiler role in its season finale if the Fighting Irish have a chance for a second straight playoff appearance.

Dates and times all subject to change.

STANFORD

QUARTERBACK

The Cardinal’s all-time best

BY HAROLD GUTMANN

Stanford has produced quarterbacks who have won the Heisman Trophy, been No. 1 draft picks and won multiple NFL MVP awards and Super Bowl championships. Rarely has the Cardinal gone into a season so uncertain and inexperienced at the position.

Only time will tell how Tanner McKee and Jack West leave their marks in Stanford’s quarterback legacy.

McKee and West were highly touted coming out of high school as part of the Cardinal’s class of 2018. Now they are looking to replace Davis Mills, who left with a year of eligibility remaining and was selected in the third round of the NFL draft by the Houston Texans.

West, a senior, has two emergency starts, completing 13 of 19 pass attempts in the season opener against then-No. 12 ranked Oregon last season. He was one of three quarterbacks who started at least one game for the Cardinal in 2019.

McKee, a sophomore, took a handful of snaps last season, his first at Stanford after returning from a two-year LDS church mission. He was one of the 2018 recruiting class’ most sought-after quarterbacks, along with Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields, selected No. 1 and No. 11 in the most recent NFL draft, and Georgia’s J.T. Daniels, a preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.

Stanford has been dubbed “Quarterback U,” thus our top 5 list below is just a drop in the bucket from a program that has sent nearly two dozen quarterbacks to the NFL.

So what can McKee or West do to join the list of Stanford’s all-time quarterback greats? David Shaw has a list of traits for what he looks for in a quarterback, and the list starts with something that former Cardinal coach Bill Walsh told him early in Shaw’s coaching career.

“The first thing he put on top of the list was instincts,” Shaw said. “Accuracy is huge, repeatable motion, enough athleticism — not everyone has to be like (Arizona Cardinals

QB) Kyler Murray — but enough athleticism to move around the pocket. But that instinct to make the throw with guys in your face, that instinct and feel to slide in the pocket, that instinct to turn it on when we need you to turn it on when the game is tight.

“All those things really lead to guys following you and trusting you. What you say and how you say it doesn’t matter if you can’t back it up on the field,” Shaw continued of Walsh’s philosophy. Our ranking of the Top-5 Stanford quarterbacks:

One more reason we picked him No. 1: Plunkett (No. 16), John Elway (No. 7) and Ernie Nevers (No. 1) are the only three Stanford players to have their jerseys retired.

special teams play). He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1983 draft — by the Colts, who were forced to trade him to Denver a few days later — and went on to make five Super Bowl appearances with the Broncos, including back-to-back titles in 1998 and 1999.

One more reason we picked him No. 2: Elway also played right field at Stanford for two years, and spent the summer of 1982 in the minors in the New York Yankees organization while he was playing hardball with the Colts to convince them NOT to draft him. It wasn’t all posturing: Elway was a second-round draft pick (six spots ahead of future MLB Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn) and batted .318 with four home runs and 13 stolen bases in 42 games in A-ball.

3. ANDREW LUCK (2008-11)

Credentials: Luck helped revitalize the Stanford program, leading the Cardinal to a 31-7 overall record and 22 straight weeks in the AP Top 10 after the program had endured seven straight losing seasons before his arrival. That’s the most wins and best winning percentage of any QB in school history. Luck’s other team records include TD passes (82), completion percentage (.687), passing efficiency (162.76) and total offense (10,387 yards). He’s also second in career passing yards (9,430). Stanford’s offense got progressively better each year with Luck, setting school records for points with 461 in 2009, 524 in 2010 and 561 in 2011. The two-time Heisman runner-up was

picked first overall by the Indianapolis Colts and made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons.

One more reason we picked him No. 3: A true dual-threat QB, his career rushing total of 957 yards (averaging 5.9 yards a run) is also a Stanford record.

4. JOHN BRODIE (1954-56)

Credentials: A star in tennis, baseball, and basketball growing up in Oakland, Brodie famously wasn’t planning on playing football when he enrolled at Stanford. But a separated shoulder kept him from playing baseball and basketball as a freshman and led him to walk on to the football team as a sophomore. By the time he was a senior, Brodie led the NCAA in passing yards, TD passes and completion percentage, earning first-team All-America honors. Selected third overall by the 49ers, he became the longest-tenured player in franchise history and was named NFL MVP in 1970.

One more reason we picked him No. 4: Brodie competed in two NCAA Golf Championships for Stanford, qualified for the 1959 U.S. Open while backing up Y.A. Title with the 49ers, and won an event on the Champions Tour in 1991.

BOBBY GARRETT (1952-53)

Credentials: Several Stanford players have come close to winning the Heisman Trophy, but the San Jose native brought it home in 1970, which separates him from the other Stanford QBs who also have won two Super Bowls or were also taken first in the NFL Draft. Plunkett finished his collegiate career with a then-NCAA-record 7,887 yards of total offense, culminating in a 27-17 Rose Bowl win over previously undefeated Ohio State. He was drafted No. 1 overall by the New England Patriots and went on to a 16-year NFL career that saw him win two Super Bowls with the Raiders, earning Super Bowl XV MVP in 1982.

John Elway, shown here in 1982, was Pac10 Player of the Year twice and went on to play in five Super Bowls, winning twice.

Credentials: A member of the College Football and Pro Football halls of fame, Elway lived up to his billing as the nation’s top high school recruit. He was the Pac-10 Player of the Year in 1980 and 1982, set a then-conference record with 9,349 career passing yards, and led the country with 24 touchdown passes as a senior, when he finished second to Herschel Walker for the Heisman. Elway finished his Stanford career with a 20-23 record, undone by a spotty defense (and one nightmarish

Andrew Luck, shown here in 2010, helped turn around the Cardinal football program after it endured seven straight losing seasons. LIPO CHING/STAFF ARCHIVES

Credentials: Before Luck, Elway and Plunkett were drafted first overall, the Cleveland Browns selected Bobby Garrett with the first pick of the 1954 NFL Draft. As a senior, he accounted for 19 touchdowns and intercepted nine passes, both of which led the NCAA, and finished fifth in the 1953 Heisman balloting. He did win the W.J. Voit Memorial Trophy, awarded to the West Coast’s most outstanding player. Garrett, who died in 1987, played every down in Stanford’s upset of No. 4 UCLA, throwing three touchdown passes and kicking the extra points in a 21-20 win while also playing defensive back and punter.

One more reason we picked him No. 5: Garrett signed a then-record $15,000 rookie contract with the Browns, but his pro career was delayed by a two-year stint in the Air Force, and he was out of the league quickly.

1. JIM PLUNKETT (1968-70)

PAUL SAKUMA/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jim Plunkett, shown here in a game against California in 1970, is a Heisman Award winner and two-time Super Bowl champion. ROBERT KLEIN/ASSOCIATED PRESS

2. JOHN ELWAY (1979-82)

5.

Cal schedule at a glance

SATURDAY, SEPT. 4 | 7:30 p.m.

VS NEVADA

This is tougher than it looks, thanks to Wolf Pack QB Carson Strong, the reigning Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 11 | 12:30 p.m.

AT TCU

The Bears face a dangerous QB for the second straight week in Max Duggan, who had a combined 20 TDs passing and running as a sophomore last season.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18 | 1 p.m.

VS SACRAMENTO STATE

Ex-Cal star Troy Taylor’s FCS Hornets, who opted out of playing a spring season, are 0-9 all time vs. Pac-12 foes.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 25 | TBA

AT WASHINGTON

The Bears beat UW in Seattle two years ago before the meeting in Berkeley last fall was canceled because of COVID issues on Cal’s end.

SATURDAY, OCT. 2 | TBA

VS WASHINGTON STATE

Is it good or bad that the Cougars return nine starters from a defense that allowed 126 points in losses to Oregon, USC and Utah?

SATURDAY, OCT. 9

BYE

The Bears pretty much had a bye all last season, playing only four games due to the pandemic and testing protocols.

FRIDAY, OCT. 15 | 7:30 p.m.

AT OREGON

The Ducks feature running back CJ Verdell, wideout Johnny Johnson III on offense and edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux on defense. If they can find a quarterback, they can be great.

SATURDAY, OCT. 23 | TBA

VS COLORADO

The Buffaloes were the early surprise of the Pac-12 last season, winning their first four games. But they closed with two bad losses and are winless in four tries at Berkeley.

SATURDAY, OCT. 30 | TBA

VS OREGON STATE

The Beavers have beaten Cal the past two seasons but have not had a winning record since 2013 and have significant question marks at quarterback.

SATURDAY, NOV. 6 | TBA

AT ARIZONA

The Pac-12 schedule rotation does Cal a big favor, swapping out Arizona State and Utah for Arizona and Colorado. The Wildcats figure to be the worst team in the Pac-12.

SATURDAY, NOV. 13 | TBA

VS USC

The pandemic scratched the Cal-USC game last season for the first time since 1925, but the Trojans have dominated, winning 15 of the past 16 meetings.

SATURDAY, NOV. 20 | TBA

AT STANFORD

The Cardinal has won 10 of the past 11 Big Games, but the Bears won 24-20 two years ago at Stanford Stadium when Chase Garbers scrambled 16 yards for a TD with 1:19 left.

SATURDAY, NOV. 27 | TBA

AT UCLA

Coach Chip Kelly’s offense finally began to take in his third season last fall, and 10 starters return from a unit that averaged 35 points.

All times and dates subject to change.

QUARTERBACK

The Golden Bears’ all-time best

BY JEFF FARAUDO

Chase Garbers will be in his third season as the Bears’ full-time No. 1 quarterback, and his 14 career wins as a starter are the most by any returnee in the Pac-12 Conference.

And yet, even with his 14-5 record in games where he starts and plays more than half the game, Garbers gets little love from the experts who rate the best in the conference. USC’s Kedon Slovis and Arizona State’s Jayden Daniels are typically considered the headliners, and the Cal senior is often an afterthought.

He wasn’t a candidate to make our list of Top-5 all-time Cal quarterbacks, and he has yet to write the final entries in his resume that will determine whether he even fits in among the Top 10.

Although he has been competent, his record, to a large degree, has been a function of Cal’s strong defense under coach Justin Wilcox. Compare that to the environment Jared Goff played in under Sonny Dykes, where the Bears were helpless on defense and Goff’s gaudy passing numbers added up to a three-year record of 14-23.

During the height of coach Jeff Tedford’s coaching reign, Nate Longshore (20-9 as a starter from 2005-09) and Kevin Riley (20-13 from 2008-10) became the only two quarterbacks in recent Cal history to accumulate at least 20 wins as starters.

Aaron Rodgers (2003-04) was 17-5 while Mike Pawlawski (1988-91) compiled a ledger of 17-6-1 as a starter. Both were obviously talented, but they also had strong supporting casts.

With seven victories this season — an ambitious but reasonable goal — Garbers will have 21 career wins, more than any Cal starting quarterback in a half-century. How will we judge him at that point?

Our ranking of the Top-5 Cal quarterbacks:

2. STEVE BARTKOWSKI (1972-74)

Credentials: Bartkowski was good enough at Cal that future NFL draft pick Vince Ferragamo transferred to Nebraska. After passing for 2,580 yards and completing 56 percent of his attempts as a senior in 1974, Bartkowski’s big arm made him the No. 1 pick in a 1975 NFL draft that also included Randy White and Walter Payton. He had more interceptions than touchdowns in each of his first five seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, but Bartkowski was a Pro Bowl selection in 1980 and ’81 when he totaled 61 TDs (39 picks) and threw for more than 7,300 yards.

One more reason we picked him No. 2: A legit two-sport star, Bartkowski was an All-America first baseman in 1973 after batting .329 for the Bears.

flexed his acting muscles alongside Burt Reynolds in “The Longest Yard” in 1974 and “Semi-Tough” in ’77.

1. AARON RODGERS (2003-04)

Credentials: Where to start? Rodgers was a revelation in his two seasons at Cal, posting a 150.3 pass efficiency rating (using the college formula), with 43 touchdowns and just 13 interceptions. In 2004 he tied an NCAA record by completing 23 consecutive passes in a single game — against USC, no less — and led the Bears to a 10-2 record. In the NFL, his passer rating is the highest in history among players with at least five seasons. He has won a Super Bowl and last season claimed his third league MVP.

One more reason we picked him No. 1: This isn’t really close. But if we needed another piece of evidence to secure Rodgers’ spot at the top, it was his superb two-week run as celebrity host of “Jeopardy!” Rodgers took the assignment seriously, paid homage to the late Alex Trebek, and seemed entirely capable of taking on the job full time.

Joe Kapp was the last quarterback to lead the Golden Bears to a Rose Bowl berth, in 1959.

Credentials: Goff arrived on campus from Marin County just as pass-happy Sonny Dykes took over as coach, and the pairing allowed Goff to almost entirely rewrite the Bears’ record book. He threw for 96 touchdowns and more than 12,000 yards in three seasons as a starter, including a Pac-12 record 43 TDs in 2015. The No. 1 pick in the 2016 NFL draft, Goff threw for 32 touchdowns and nearly 4,700 yards in his third season, helping the Los Angeles Rams to the Super Bowl. His efficiency slipped the past two seasons, and he was traded to the Detroit Lions.

One more reason we picked him No. 4: After going 0-7 as a rookie starter, Goff compiled a record of 42-20 the past four seasons.

Jared Goff benefited from a pass-happy offense, amassing 96 touchdowns and more than 12,000 yards in three seasons as a starter.

Credentials: Kapp was far from an elite passer, as evidenced by his career totals of seven touchdown passes and 28 interceptions with the Golden Bears. But he also holds Cal’s record for career rushing yards by a quarterback and as a senior led the Bears to the Pacific Coast Conference title and a berth in the Rose Bowl. Cal hasn’t been back in the 62 seasons since then. NFL teams were so unimpressed that Kapp was an 18thround pick in the 1959 draft. He opted to play in Canada, where he led the B.C. Lions to consecutive Grey Cup appearances, winning the title in 1964. He finally made it to the NFL in 1967 and in ’69 he threw seven touchdowns in a game while leading the Minnesota Vikings to a Super Bowl.

One more reason we picked him No. 3: Before winning his Big Game coaching debut with “The Play” in 1982, Kapp

Credentials: A starter for most of three seasons with the Bears, Morton was a first-team All-America pick as a senior when he passed for 2,121 yards and completed 60 percent of his attempts. He left Cal having set a Pac-8 record with 4,501 career passing yards. Picked No. 5 in the NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys, Morton shared the starting job with Roger Staubach or Don Meredith for years but quarterbacked the team to a Super Bowl appearance after the 1970 season. In ’77 with Denver, he was voted the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year while leading the Broncos to the Super Bowl.

One more reason we picked him No. 5: On a 3-7 Cal team, Morton finished seventh in the 1964 Heisman Trophy voting, ahead of both Joe Namath and Gale Sayers.

RUSS REED/OAKLAND TRIBUNE ARCHIVES

4. JARED GOFF (2013-15)

5. CRAIG MORTON (1962-64)

3. JOE KAPP (1956-58)

DOUG DURAN/ STAFF ARCHIVES

Aaron Rodgers was a standout in his two seasons at Cal, and has claimed the league MVP three times in the NFL.

STAFF ARCHIVE

Strutting sousaphones, fancy footwork. No matter the score, the band always wins.

BY JIM HARRINGTON

Fans may rave about the tuba players in the UC Berkeley Marching Band. Technically, though, they’re playing sousaphones — and the Cal Band calls them “basses.” Whatever you call them, though, those strutting, dancing band members are as famous for their footwork as their music.

Now Anton Bobrov, a senior econ and statistics major and Burlingame High alum, explains it all, from tuba history to Cal Band lore.

QWhat’s the difference between a tuba and a sousaphone?

AActually, they’re musically identical. The coiled length of a tuba is condensed so it can be held within one person’s arms (while) sitting in a chair. The problem is that concert tubas are particularly difficult to hold, play and march in front of — they need support.

So, around the turn of the 20th century, John Philip Sousa invented the sousaphone, which basically just uncoils the tuba around the body of the player, allowing the individual playing the instrument to more easily disperse the weight around their body

QSo why do band members refer to the sousaphone as the bass?

AI want to be honest with you: I don’t know why they are called basses either. Before this interview, I started asking a bunch of alumni if we know why we call ourselves basses. And all of them said, “Huh. That’s a good question. I’ve never thought about that.” They started going down the line, asking older people that they knew, and they all said, “I don’t know.” The best conclusion that anyone came up with is “Well, it’s the bass part in the ensemble, is it not?” So, that’s currently the lore.

QWhat’s your musical background?

AI’ve always loved music. I took piano lessons, starting from four or five years old, and made sure that I joined every single band in school that I could. I even got into a fight with my dad once because I wanted to take jazz band, but that would mean not taking Spanish. It was just a natural progression to get into marching band.

QThe sousaphone is a heavy instrument — 18 to 50 pounds. Don’t you get physically tired marching around with it?

AIt’s exhausting, but exhilarating at the same time. Berkeley’s campus is on a hill. Our stadium is at the very, very top of the hill. And our band room is at the bottom of the hill. So, on a typical game day,

we perform in Sproul Plaza to fans, then march up through campus on our way to the stadium.

That climb is so tough.

There was a game against UC Davis at the beginning of a year — I think it was still August — and it was 90 degrees outside. And we wear wool uniforms. We were covered in sweat — drenched.

But the second that we march through the north tunnel of Memorial Stadium, and we start our pregame formation, suddenly all that tiredness, all that feeling of fatigue just vanishes. You’re in the zone, and you are performing.

QThe Cal sousaphone players are known for their high-energy performances...

AOf any marching band, we are the only one that I know of where the sousaphone line struts across the field. At the end of every pregame show, the basses break off from the rest of the band to strut across the field. Legs at near 90 degrees, we circle the end zone and join up with the rest of the band to complete our famous script C-A-L. We don’t only strut after our pregame show, but also at the end of nearly every performance.

QWhat else makes the Cal Band unique?

ACal Band is entirely student-run. We only have one full-time employee, and that’s our director, Matt Sadowski. Everything else is planned by the students and run in committees.

QCal’s big rival, of course, is Stanford. What are your feelings about the Stanford Band?

AI love the guys. Unlike any other band in the world, they are rowdy, ruthless, brash, but ever so entertaining. If there is one group comparable to Cal Band in terms of energy and spirit, it would be the Stanford Band, even if they don’t always sound so great. If you see the Stanford Band and their scary tree fumbling around, you know you are in for a musical journey. As we say in the PAC-12, “no matter the outcome of the game, the band always wins” — unless you are playing USC.

Anton Bobrov and his fellow basses always take performances up a notch, strutting across the field in a big finish. KARL MONDON/STAFF

San Jose State schedule at a glance

SATURDAY, AUG. 28 | 7 p.m.

VS SOUTHERN UTAH

The T-Birds roster includes five players from Bay Area high schools. SJSU is a significant favorite against an FCS opponent that is 5-24 since going 9-3 in 2017.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 4 | 2 p.m.

AT USC

No team on USC’s schedule faces longer odds than the Spartans, says ESPN’s Football Power Index. But this game might be closer than expected, given SJSU’s experience and 7-1 record last season.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 11

BYE

A well-placed week off after USC gives SJSU extra time to heal up and prepare for the Mountain West opener at Hawaii.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18 | 9:30 p.m.

AT HAWAII

SJSU plays at Hawaii for the third consecutive season. Last year’s game was supposed to be at CEFCU Stadium but was switched because of COVID-19 protocols passed by Santa Clara County. It’s the MW opener for both schools.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 25 | TBA

AT WESTERN MICHIGAN

The Broncos are 0-6 all time against Mountain West teams but return 19 of 22 starters from a team that was 4-2 and averaged 42 points in 2020. This one could be a shootout.

SATURDAY, OCT. 2 | TBA

VS NEW MEXICO STATE

The Aggies were one of four FBS teams to opt out of the 2020 season. NMSU plays as an independent but will face seven Mountain West teams.

SATURDAY, OCT. 9 | TBA

AT COLORADO STATE

The Rams have won three in a row over SJSU, but there’s no telling what shape CSU will be in. The game is CSU’s conference opener after a bye, but also follows a tough

four-game season-opening stretch.

FRIDAY, OCT. 15 | 7:30 p.m.

VS SAN DIEGO STATE

SJSU broke an eight-game losing streak against the Aztecs with a 28-17 win last season, scoring twice in the final 11:10. SJSU hasn’t beaten SDSU at CEFCU Stadium since 2008.

SATURDAY, OCT. 23 | 7:30 p.m.

AT UNLV

Second-year coach Marcus Arroyo, the former SJSU quarterback and assistant coach, had a rough debut season, going 0-6, including a 34-17 loss to his alma mater.

SATURDAY, OCT. 30 | TBA

VS WYOMING

The start of a home-heavy finish for SJSU. The Cowboys suffered their first losing season since 2015 last year, going 2-4, but the defeats were by a combined 22 points.

SATURDAY, NOV. 6 | TBA

AT NEVADA

Last season, SJSU outscored Nevada 23-0 after intermission to rally back from a 20-7 halftime deficit. The game was supposed to be played at SJSU, but the stringent COVID-19 protocols in Santa Clara County caused the game to be moved.

SATURDAY, NOV. 13 | TBA

VS UTAH STATE

Utah State has won eight in a row dating back to 2009 — Dick Tomey was coaching the Spartans the last time they won.

THURSDAY, NOV. 25 | TBA

VS FRESNO STATE

The regional rivals play on Thanksgiving Day for the first time since 1956. The Bulldogs lead the series 42-38-3, but SJSU won the last meeting and five of the past eight. Last year’s game was canceled because of COVID-19-related issues among the Fresno State team, just the second time since 1996 the teams didn’t meet.

All times and dates subject to change.

SAN JOSE STATE

QUARTERBACK

The Spartans’ all-time best

BY MIKE LEFKOW

Nate Starkel is coming off one of the most successful debut seasons by a San Jose State quarterback. Can the senior follow with a season that will vault him into the pantheon of Spartan signal-callers?

SJSU has a rich quarterback tradition. So rich that Steve DeBerg, a member of the school’s Sports Hall of Fame who set nine school records in his two seasons with the Spartans before playing 21 seasons in the NFL, didn’t make our list of the five best QBs in school history.

Entering this season, Starkel fits in more closely with oneyear sensations such as Ralph Martini, Roger Proffitt and Chon Gallegos.

Starkel hit the ground running after transferring from Arkansas. He led the Spartans to an unbeaten regular season (7-0) and the Arizona Bowl against Ball State. Each of SJSU’s wins were by at least 10 points.

Starkel passed for 2,174 yards and 17 touchdowns, completing 64.2 percent of his attempts in his debut season. He was intercepted only seven times.

If Starkel can duplicate or improve on what he did last season, he has a chance to crack the top five. He’s getting a fifth college season, thanks to the NCAA’s decision to allow seniors to return after last year’s COVID-19-abbreviated campaign.

Our ranking of the Top-5 San Jose State quarterbacks:

1. DAVID FALES (2012-13)

Credentials: Fales helped revive a program that went 6-19 overall in the two years before he arrived, including a home loss to UC Davis. With Fales leading the way, the Spartans went 11-2 in 2012, losing by three points to No. 21 Stanford, and beating Bowling Green in the Holiday Bowl. Fales passed for

4,193 yards and 33 touchdowns and was rated the most accurate FBS quarterback. Fales had almost identical stats the following season, throwing for 4,189 yards and 33 TDs. Fales left SJSU as its all-time passing leader and was picked in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.

One more reason we picked him No. 1: Fales originally signed with Nevada out of Palma High in Salinas. But while redshirting and watching the Wolf Pack’s No. 1 quarterback — Colin Kaepernick — he came to the following conclusion. “I realized what they wanted to do wasn’t a good fit for me,” he told the Bay Area News Group’s Jon Wilner. “They wanted me to be more of a runner.” So he transferred to Monterey Peninsula College for two years before joining the Spartans. Fales’ career rushing total at SJSU? Minus-132 yards.

the second time. Perez had individual achievements, too. He led the nation in total offense with 329.89 yards per game in 1986. He also threw two touchdown passes in the final 1:15 to lead SJSU to a come-from-behind 45-41 win over Fresno State. He was a seventh-round pick of the New York Giants in the 1988 NFL Draft.

One more reason we picked him No. 2: In only his second game as a starter, in 1986, Perez took a late hit during a 20-13 victory over Washington State. No flag. So Perez, who bench-pressed 350 pounds, stiff-armed the guy who hit him and drew a penalty flag. “Mike’s a lineman version of a quarterback,” SJSU offensive guard David Diaz-Infante told Sports Illustrated. “He’s no pretty boy.”

3. STEVE CLARKSON (1979-82)

Credentials: Nearly 40 years after finishing his career at SJSU, Clarkson is best known for his success at developing quarterbacks. He has mentored Ben Roethlisberger, Terrelle Pryor, Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart and many others. Joe Montana enrolled his two sons in Clarkson’s quarterback school in Pasadena. SJSU was 24-10 during Clarkson’s three years as a starter from 198082. He is second all time at SJSU with 56 career touchdown passes, fourth in total yardage and fifth all time in passing yards. He became the first Spartan QB to lead SJSU past Cal and Stanford in the same season (1981).

One more reason we picked him No. 3: Not only was Clarkson successful on the field, he was also a winner in the classroom as a two-time member of the national academic All-America team, in 1981-82.

4. JEFF GARCIA (1991-93)

Credentials: It would have been interesting to see what Garcia might have done if the SJSU coaching situation had been more settled. He played for three head coaches in three seasons, but the Spartans still went 13-8-1 in Garcia’s first two seasons. Garcia left SJSU ranked sixth all time in career passing yards, fifth in touchdown passes and third in total yardage. After going undrafted in 1994, he signed with the Canadian Football League and became a four-time all-star. Then he played for 11 seasons with the 49ers, beginning in 1999.

One more reason we picked him No. 4: Garcia is one of only three quarterbacks in the CEFCU Stadium Ring of Honor. The others are DeBerg and Dick Vermeil.

Credentials: If the benchmark of a quarterback is his won-loss record, then Perez belongs high up on this list. In Perez’s two seasons, the Spartans were 20-4. Three of those defeats came against schools in what was the then-Pac-10 Conference. The other was in a bowl game. SJSU had identical 10-2 records in 1986 and ‘87. It won the Pacific Coast Athletic Association title in ‘86, then captured the Big West championship the next year. In ‘87, the Spartans beat Cal and Stanford in the same season for only

Credentials: There are former Spartan QBs with better credentials if you look strictly at the numbers. But consider what Menges, who died in 2016, did overall. He helped lead the Spartans to nine-win seasons in 1948 and ‘49. He was the first SJSU quarterback to pass for over 3,000 yards in a career. During the 1949 season, he ranked fifth nationally in passes completed and broke the school record with 16 touchdown passes.

One more reason we picked him No. 5: Spent 17 seasons as a Spartan assistant football coach, recruiting Vermeil and Bill Walsh, but from 1969-86, Menges coached the baseball team. He had a 483-451-5 baseball record and took the Spartans to the NCAA tournament in 1971.

2. MIKE PEREZ (1986-87)

5. GENE MENGES (1948-50)

Top: Quarterback David Fales helped revitalize the program in 2012, taking the Spartans to an 11-2 record and a win against Bowling Green in the Holiday Bowl.

NHAT V. MEYER/STAFF ARCHIVES

In his two seasons at San Jose State, Mike Perez’s only losses came against then Pac10 schools and in a bowl game.

SCOTT ANGER/ ASSOCIATED PRESS

SJSU alum back home as Spectrum Dance Team director

Q&A

Catherine Miller-Lopes

BY JIM HARRINGTON

Catherine Miller-Lopes lives to dance … on the football field.

The Gilroy resident spent all four years of college as a member of San Jose State’s Spartan Spectrum Dance Team, before going on to even bigger audiences as a Raiderette at the Oakland Coliseum in 2016 and 2017. Now she’s back with the Spartans, this time as squad director and choreographer.

Naturally, we had questions — about dance studios and gridirons, Spartans and Raiders.

QHow did you get into this in the first place?

AI began dancing at the age of eight and danced competitively for 10 years at Lana’s Dance Studio in Morgan Hill — and loved every minute of it. I wouldn’t be the person or the dancer I am without Ms. Lana. That’s really how I started.

QAnd then SJSU’s Spartan Spectrum Dance Team?

AI was so blessed to make it. Hands down, it was my favorite college experience. There is nothing like dancing to live music — that’s not an experience you get growing up as a studio kid. Dancing on a stage is a great experience, but dancing in a football stadium in front of all those fans is indescribable. (After) I graduated, my coach had me back every year to teach auditions. About two years ago, I started assistant coaching. In 2020, I became the director and choreographer.

QHow did that feel?

AIt’s a really humbling experience. I have an assistant coach as well, Kelsi Auday. We weren’t able to dance together on Spectrum, but we were on Raiderettes together. We talk all the time about how we feel so grateful and humbled by this experience, because the women who have held this job before us, their shoes are so big to fill.

QWhat was it like working for the Oakland Raiders with the Raiderettes and performing for the legendary Black Hole crowd?

AThere is nothing like dancing in the Coliseum. I remember standing on the field and looking up to the three levels. Just the roar of that stadium

is nuts. The Black Hole is the best place to perform in front of. There is hardly ever a fan sitting down — they are up, they are moving with you, they are swaying with you. It’s the coolest thing ever.

QWhat’s game day like on Spartan soil?

AThe Spectrum Dance Team is technically a part of the Spartan Marching Band. On a typical Spartan game day, we go tailgating with the marching band through the different lots. We begin the game with our pregame show; the Spectrum are featured on the very back of the football field. We always do our halftime performance with the Spartan Marching Band. And we commonly are seen during third-quarter break on the top of the dugouts.

QThe Spartan football team is coming off a great season. Does their win-loss record impact the dancers’ performances?

AWe are diehard Spartan fans at every game. We’ve had some really rough seasons, and those definitely affect you as students and as fans and staff. But I think our job as the Spartan Marching Band and the Spartan Spectrum Dance Team is to really lift the spirit and, during halftime, to be that kind of relief, almost like a recharge for the fans before our team comes back in and continues fighting.

QDoes Spectrum favor a certain dance style?

A(We have) a really deep-seated tradition: a jazz style on the field. (Unlike) most college dance teams, we don’t wear jazz shoes — we wear character shoes. So, all of our dancers actually dance in a heel on a football field, which is a challenging endeavor. It brings an extra level of class and elegance, I feel, to our team and performances.

Catherine Miller-Lopes, director of the Spartan Spectrum Dance Team, spent her four years at San Jose State on the Spectrum Dance Team and was a member of the Raiderettes in 2016 and 2017. Now she returns to campus as the director of the Spartan Spectrum Dance Team.

KARL MONDON/STAFF

Football fare

Jessica Aguirre’s Party Plantains

“I’m Cuban, which means every party, every occasion is celebrated with a variation of a plantain side dish or appetizer,” says NBC Bay Area anchor Jessica Aguirre. “On Thanksgiving we have twice-fried plantains, also known as tostones. On Noche Buena (Christmas Eve), we go with your classic plantain, which pairs with lechon (roasted baby pig), and for Easter, we mix it up with sweet plantains. You get my ‘plantain’ drift. For the Super Bowl, we go all out with ‘party plantains.’”

This recipe serves 10 football fans.

Ingredients

8 large super ripe plantains

Vegetable oil

Kosher salt

Sour cream

Parsley sprigs

Directions

Trim the ends of the plantains. Run your knife down the seam to peel, then slice the plantains diagonally.

Wash your parsley and cut it into mini sprigs. Set aside to dry.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high. Wait until the oil is HOT! Fill your skillet with plantains in batches, leaving room to flip them, and start to brown them. You want them golden brown on the outside but super soft on the inside; turn down the heat if they cook too fast. Drain the finished plantains on a paper towel-lined plate while you work on the next batch.

When ready to serve, place the plantains on a tray, season with salt, and add a dollop of sour cream and a tiny sprig of parsley to each.

Let the tackling — for the plantains — begin!

Raj Mathai’s Blue Cheese-Stuffed Filet Mignon

“I’m usually working on Super Bowl Sunday, however there have been a few years when I’m enjoying the game at home,” says Mathai, an NBC Bay Area anchor. “I have a favorite dish — and it happens to be 49ers-related! Years ago, a local butcher from Redwood City told me Joe Montana used to come into his shop to buy filet mignon. Montana would make a small hole in the filet and stuff it with blue cheese. I’ve enhanced the recipe.

“Carve out a small hole in each steak. Stuff it with blue cheese and a quail egg (or oyster). Wrap with bacon to enclose the hole, and use a toothpick to hold it together. Grill to desired doneness. Pair with a kick-butt red wine!”

Donte Whitner’s Cheesy Beef Taco Dip

Former San Francisco 49ers safety and NBC Sports Bay Area 49er analyst Donte Whitner goes classic with this dip.

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

¾ cup water

1 package taco seasoning mix

1 pound processed cheese, cubed

For serving: Tortilla chips, shredded lettuce and chopped jalapenos

Directions

In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium heat. Drain fat. Stir in seasoning mix and water. Add cheese and stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Serve warm with tortilla chips, along with shredded lettuce and chopped jalapeno peppers.

What do you nosh when watching the game? We asked NBC Bay Area’s anchors and 49ers analyst for their go-to bites and dips for Game Day

Janelle Wang’s Instant Pot Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip

NBC Bay Area anchor Janelle Wang uses an Instant Pot to make this game-day classic, which goes from grocery bag to party-ready in 30 minutes flat. Use Pepper Jack instead of Monterey Jack, she says, if you like things a little spicy.

Ingredients

1 small onion, chopped

10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach

14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

8 ounces light cream cheese

1 cup light sour cream

3/4 cup chicken broth

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups grated parmesan

3 cups grated Monterey or Pepper Jack cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Chips or sliced sourdough bread for serving

Directions

Put Instant Pot in sauté mode and sauté the chopped onion.

Add frozen spinach, artichoke hearts, cream cheese, sour cream, chicken broth and garlic to the Instant Pot; close and lock the lid. Select manual pressure and set the timer for 4 minutes. (It takes 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.)

Release pressure carefully using the quick-release valve on top. Unlock and remove the lid. Add the parmesan and jack cheeses and whisk until smooth.

Serve with chips or sourdough bread.

NBC BAY AREA

NHAT

NBC Bay Area news anchors Raj Mathai and Janelle Wang

NBC Bay Area News anchor Jessica Aguirre

V. MEYER/STAFF ARCHIVES

Right: San Francisco 49ers fans celebrate the start of the 2020 NFC Championship Game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO/STAFF ARCHIVES