A new kind of gameday experience

As he enters his 32nd season covering 49ers football, The Niner Report’s Craig Massei has attended virtually every 49ers home game of the 21st century. But never one quite like San Francisco’s 2020 season opener against the Arizona Cardinals. Amid the fallout from historic wildfires that burned throughout Northern California, the enduring effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic and pervading issues of social justice, the game experience at Levi’s Stadium — and throughout the NFL, for that matter — promised to be uniquely different than during any other time in the team’s illustrious 75-year history. And it was. Here’s a narrative chronicling the events and atmosphere surrounding the start of the most different and strange of all 49ers seasons.

THE X-FACTORS

After their unexpected but enthralling run to the Super Bowl earlier this year, the 49ers return for the 2020 season as defending NFC champions with a roster suddenly full of marquee players, the kind of talented performers on which teams build for title runs.

Where does the strength lie?

Ranking positional groups on power-packed roster

TOP 9 Head coaches

As he prepares to enter his fourth season as 9ers head coach, Kyle Shanahan already is one of just four coaches in the 75-year history of the San Francisco franchise to win an NFC championship nd take the 49ers all the way to the Super Bowl. hat accomplishment alone vaults him among a select group of top coaches ever to guide the team, and if his 2019 performance and recent contract extension are any indications, Shanahan surely will e moving up in the future on this list of the bestead coaches in 49ers history.

TAKING THE LEAD

San Francisco has strong candidates to fill void

PAYING FOR THE BE$T

Kittle sets bar high for NFL tight ends

PANDEMIC PRIMER

A 12-step guide to get 49ers through COVID-19 NFL season

CHAMPIONSHIP PARTNERSHIP

49ers extend winning combination into future

49ers rich in Kittle complements at TE

Now that he’s the highest-paid tight end in NFL history, and generally regarded as the league’s best player at his position, George Kittle and the 49ers see no reason their tight ends can’t achieve the same kind of recognition as a group.

Can the best be even better?

Buckner gone, but DL’s quest for next level remains intact

10 BURNING QUESTIONS

Teams that lose the Super Bowl always enter the next season facing a different sort of question than most others in the NFL.

IT'S GOOD TO BE GEORGE

Kittle headed for record payday … but when?

Training camp tip sheet

It’s a tough act to follow as the 2020 49ers enter the world of the football unknown.

TOP 6 Injury comebacks

After signing a blockbuster contract in 2018 that temporarily made him the highest-paid player in NFL history, Jimmy Garoppolo lasted just three games into the next season before tearing his ACL, a major injury that threatened his rising career as the 49ers’ franchise quarterback. Garoppolo’s comeback began a year ago at this time during 49ers training camp, and what a comeback it was as the veteran led San Francisco to Super Bowl LIV with statistically one of the greatest seasons by a QB in franchise history. Garoppolo’s bounce-back performance was both marvelous and memorable, earning him a place on this list of the greatest player comebacks from injury in 49ers history.

CAMP BATTLEGROUND

Intensified summer competition vital for reigning NFC champs

WILLIAMS NEXT UP

Are 49ers replacing one future Hall of Famer with another?

UNDRAFTED ROOKIE FREE AGENTS

The 49ers have had notable success since the arrival of the John Lynch/Kyle Shanahan regime both identifying and developing young prospects who went unselected in the NFL draft. Following a trend that began in 2017, the 49ers have had 17 undrafted rookie free agents make their active 53-man roster over the past three seasons, including four last year on a team that featured one of the NFL’s most talented rosters and best rookie draft classes. With that roster teeming with talent coming off a Super Bowl appearance, it keeps getting more difficult for an unheralded rookie to make the team. But don’t count out any of the 10 undrafted rookie free agents signed by the 49ers in late April from making an impact as they fill the final berths on the 90-man roster San Francisco will take into training camp this summer.

THE BACK LIST

TOP 10 First-round pairs

Staley's comet

Decorated veteran’s impact felt throughout 49ers franchise

DRAFT WRAP A TO Z

Tidbits, trivia, and other draft morsels as we cover the 49ers’ five-player draft Class of 2020 and the team’s slick operations during an eventful college lottery from top to bottom while running down every letter of the alphabet.

SAFETIES

THE TOP PROSPECTS

ROOKIE REVIEW

As they make their final preparations for the 2020 NFL draft, the 49ers certainly have a good idea of how it’s supposed to be done. San Francisco needs only to look back at its performance in last year’s college lottery to completely understand how big an impact can be made by one singular rookie class.

OFFENSIVE TACKLES

THE TOP PROSPECTS

FREE AGENCY REVIEW

49ers accomplish task of keeping Super Bowl team together

DEFENSIVE LINE

THE TOP PROSPECTS

Top 10 Rookie Defenders

Nick Bosa had one of those rare seasons in 2019 when he was considered by just about everybody in the universe as the best rookie player in the NFL — on either side of the football.

Should They Stay Or Go?

49ers should be keeping their own in free agency

WIDE RECEIVERS

WIDE RECEIVERS

TIGHT ENDS

TIGHT ENDS

RUNNING BACKS

RUNNING BACKS