The last part of a three-part series was released on February 9 on 49ers.com, which featured the San Francisco 49ers' year in review. The first-part featured the 49ers' offense, the second-part featured their historic defense, and now this third-part features the storied special teams of the 49ers. This special teams unit was truly a special squad in every sense of the word for the 49ers in 2011. Never before, as a fan, have I been able to sit back and enjoy watching a team play special teams as much as I did with the 49ers this past season.
There were several key factors that led to the 49ers having the successful year that they did, so let's take a look at some standout features and players of the special teams squad:
Pro-Bowlers and All-Pros
The 49ers have three Pro-Bowlers and two All-Pros on their special team squad; proving that they really were at the top of their game during the season. David Akers and Andy Lee both earned All-Pro and Pro-Bowl honors for their performances during the regular season. Lee was notorious for pinning teams deep in their own territory when called up to do so. As for Akers, he set a franchise record for scoring in a single season and also set the NFL single-season record for most field goals made with 44. As for the third Pro-Bowler, that was long-snapper Brian Jennings.
Blake Costanzo and Delanie Walker
Aside from being complete athletes, Delanie Walker and Blake Costanzo stood out on special teams coverage. Every time there'd be a kick off or a punt down field, the first two guys you'd see down there would be Costanzo and Walker - most of the time. They were the epitome of hard work and resilience; which were indicative of what the rest of the 49ers' team represented. Their presence alone on special teams really made a huge difference with the team.
Theme Song
You have to know that your special teams have made it when they even have their own theme song. Before each 49ers kickoff you could watch the 49ers kickoff team bouncing to the song "Tony Montana" by rapper Future. This song became their theme for the year and was played every time the 49ers would kick the ball off. For some reason it inspired the players and got them hyped-up to go down and cover kicks very well.
Overall, the San Francisco 49ers special teams led to a lot of the 49ers' 14 victories throughout the year. Without their special teams unit playing the way they did all year long, the 49ers definitely wouldn't have been the same football team. What were some of your favorite moments from the 49ers season from the special teams unit?
David is co-founder of wrapupp sports blog where they post fresh content daily and present sports blogs and sports opinions - all with a West Coast bias. Growing up in the Bay Area, David is a huge supporter of all the local sports teams; the Giants, Athletics, Warriors, Sharks, 49ers, and Raiders. His one fault, admittedly, as many of his friends and family would say, is his love for the Los Angeles Lakers. Growing up, Magic Johnson was his favorite basketball player and he fell in love with the team. He chalks it up to, "Not knowing any better". Now his love for sports has turned just as academic as it is intuitive and he follows most all sports all over the nation.
You can follow David on Twitter: @officialwrapupp
Sources:
49ers.com. Special Teams Year in Review. NFL 2012.
More from David Mehrwein and the Yahoo! Contributor Network:
Former Sharks' Great Owen Nolan Retires: Fan Reaction
San Jose Sharks Vs. Calgary Flames: Fan Prevew
Warriors Fall to Thunder Despite Ellis' Career Night: Fan Reaction
Billy Beane Reportedly Staying in Oakland Through 2019: Fan Reaction
There are no comments yet