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Journeyman T.Y. McGill was given a chance with the San Francisco 49ers on October 11, 2022 — even if it meant earning a base salary under $100,000 and starting out with the practice squad.
But if his Week 17 performance against the Las Vegas Raiders in the 37-34 overtime win proved anything, it’s that the man with the one-year, $92,400 contract was a rare golden discovery for the Niners. Two viral clips from his New Year’s Day outing proves why his presence has become impactful for a loaded defense.
T.Y. McGill Turns up the Pressure in Pass Rush Sequences
The 6-foot, 293-pound McGill entered Allegiant Stadium with six total quarterback pressures — playing on a front line with more cat-quick rushers in Nick Bosa, Drake Jackson and Arik Armstead.
But noted by @Coach_Yac on January 3, McGill really cranked the pressure volume up: Four QB pressures that finished second behind Bosa and a QB hit.
In the clip, McGill uses some traditional hand moves to create havoc in the trenches: A swim move (or scissors swipe) to get past the line and get in front of the face of Jarrett Stidham (who took the Raiders’ QB starting reins from Derek Carr) and the rip move (or arm under tactic) when lined up outside shade of the Raiders’ left guard’s shoulder. The third clip showed McGill using his get-off after the snap to cut inside and put Stidham under duress.
Crucial 4th Down Stop Came With T.Y. McGill Helping Set Things up
While it was a rather dismal day for the league’s best defense surrendering 34 points and 500 total yards to the Silver and Black, the 49ers did have a critical fourth and inches stop. The kind that NFL Network personality Brian Baldinger said made the difference in the end.
The defensive ends Armstead and Charles Omenihu may have earned credit on this stuffing of Josh Jacobs. However, the former NFL offensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles pointed out that McGill was the one who opened the floodgates for the 49ers to make the stop.
“Two guys make this play: T.Y. McGill and Arik Armstead,” Baldinger said. “Watch McGill and how low he is. He’s coming backdoor to [right guard Alex] Bars and staying alive.”
After Armstead does his part by shoving Kolton Miller out the way, McGill follows Jacobs from behind to help finish the crucial stop near the goal line on the Raiders’ fourth-down gamble.
“But this is a phenomenal play by McGill on the league’s leading rusher,” Baldinger added. “And he (Jacobs) runs into a brick wall.”
Did T.Y. McGill’s Production Help Influence Latest Roster Move?
Perhaps McGill’s production helped persuade a recent transaction the 49ers made.
Reported by ESPN NFL insider Field Yates on Tuesday, January 3, the 49ers waived defensive tackle Akeem Spence along with practice squad QB Jacob Eason. The belief, though, from Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle was that the Spence waive was made to clear room to elevate last season’s leading rusher Elijah Mitchell. And furthermore, from The Athletic’s 49ers insider David Lombardi on Wednesday, Spence hasn’t cleared out his locker.
McGill, however, has made the most of his chances while suiting up for his 10th NFL franchise since entering the league undrafted out of North Carolina State. He’s played in eight 49er games (his most since the 13 he had in the 2016 season with the Indianapolis Colts) and has done the dirty work in helping clear room for Bosa, Armstead, Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw and the rest of the 49ers defense. Outside of pass rushing, he’s been a instrumental cog against the run as proven against the New Orleans Saints on November 27, 2022:
Plus against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 11, 2022:
For someone on a $92,400 deal, McGill has given six- to seven-figure production for the 49ers.
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