GETTY SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 19: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers carries the ball against the Atlanta Falcons in the first half of the game at Levi's Stadium on December 19, 2021 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
The 2021 Pro Bowl list is here and the San Francisco 49ers are getting plenty of love on both sides of the ball.
Understandably so. 8-6 may not be the most impressive record, but there’s no doubt that the team’s stars have lived up to their billing this year.
- Defensive end Nick Bosa
- Tackle Trent Williams
- Wide Receiver Deebo Samuel
- Tight end George Kittle
- Fullback Kyle Juszczyk
The Niners announced their selections on Wednesday night in an emphatic tweet.
In comparison, the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams registered four Pro Bowlers, while the Seattle Seahawks earned two spots.
Let’s break down the Niners’ five representative with statistical analysis, with all numbers coming from Pro Football Reference.
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Nick Bosa Represents the San Francisco 49ers Defense
What is there to say about Nick Bosa’s season that hasn’t already been said?
The Ohio State product has been a force all season, but he’s really turned it on in the back half of the season. The defensive end has eight sacks in his past six games after putting up six sacks in his first eight.
Considering the defensive end had to recover from a devastating ACL injury in 2020, the dominance over a sustained period has him in the running for more than just the Pro Bowl. The All-Pro, Defensive Player of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year are all honors he’s up for.
Niners Offense Shows Up in a Big Way
It’s clear the public was impressed by the 49ers’ offensive pieces with four names selected from that side of the ball.
We’ll start with Kyle Juszczyk, the fan-favorite fullback has racked up 242 yards and a score. Fullback statlines are never mind-blowing, but Juszczyk’s value isn’t in the numbers, it’s in the blocking and flexibility he gives head coach Kyle Shanahan and his offensive staff.
Similarly, the value in Trent Williams play won’t appear on paper, but anyone that’s watched Williams over the past decade knows he’s a generational tackle. This makes for his ninth Pro Bowl selection since coming into the NFL in 2010. That’s all you need to know.
Like Bosa, writing about Kittle’s impressive abilities almost feels redundant. The tight end simply does it all, and this year his numbers have returned to what we saw in 2018 and 2019. With 850 yards, he can easily eclipse the 1000-yard mark before the regular season ends. Oh, and he’s already set a career high for touchdowns with six in 11 games this year.
Finally, Deebo Samuel. After an injury-riddled 2020 sidelined Samuel for much of last season, the hybrid threat has exploded as the 49ers look to get him as many touches as possible. 1357 total yards and 17 total touchdowns later, and San Francisco is feeling great about picking him back in the 2019 NFL Draft.
But the numbers that are truly mind-blowing are his averages. He’s averaging 17.8 yards per catch, and 6.9 yards per rush. The South Carolina product is setting himself up an All-Pro selection and a big contract for his second NFL deal.