Category: NFL

By: Joe Lami

AP file photo: San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly at 49ers training camp in Kezar Stadium in San Francisco last Wednesday

SANTA CLARA, Calif.—The San Francisco 49ers kick-off their pre-season schedule this Sunday against the Houston Texans. The contest will give everyone a first look at the new Chip Kelly style offense and how the 49ers’ might shape up this season. After a 5-11 season, and more key positional losses for the Niners’, expectations remain extremely low for this team, but a new revival offensive look could be this teams savior.

If however, sparks don’t fly for the red and gold, fans should expect another long and painful season that will affect the pocketbook of Jed York, with an empty $1.2 billion stadium for years to come.

Sunday revives the quarterback battle in Santa Clara as well, Blaine Gabbert has taken the edge and has been named the starter for Sunday. Colin Kaepernick was struggling with pain in his shoulder on Thursday, forcing Kelly to make the decision. Even if the pain in his shoulder, Kaepernick is expected to see some first team snaps.

Many think that Kelly could be the coach that revives Kaepernick’s career, but the one-time NFC champion needs to beat Gabbert, who’s on pace to revive his career after a dreadful start in Jacksonville. This most recent shoulder doesn’t help Kaepernick’s chances either.

Houston is coming off a 9-7 record and an AFC South Championship. In the offseason, Houston went and spent big money for a quarterback, bringing in the backup from the Super Bowl Champion, Denver Broncos.

Brock Osweiler signed a four-year $72 million contract in the offseason, as the Texans hope he can be the answer to the positional troubles they’ve experienced since the team’s inception. If the gamble pays off, Houston has potential at making a deep playoff run, especially the defensive force led by MVP, JJ Watt.

Another exciting player that fans can keep an eye on from Houston is Braxton Miller. The converted quarterback will be vying for a wide receiving spot on the Texans after being drafted in the third round during this year’s draft. The former Buckeye is expected his first NFL action. 

rantsports.com file photo: Blaine Gabbert (2) and Colin Kaepernick (7) quarterbacks of the San Francisco 49ers getting prepared for this Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans at Levis Stadium

On the 49ers podcast with David Zizmor, the focus this Sunday at Levis Stadium when the San Francisco 49ers host the Houston Texans will be on 49ers quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert. 49ers head coach Chip Kelly was asked what he looking for at quarterback and he used the typical NFL buzzwords “efficiency, the ability to control the offense that kind of stuff.

On the surface those statements would seem to favor Gabbert a tiny bit just because Gabbert is better checking his receivers and reading through his routes. At the same time you can’t read too much into it in general because your not talking about a great NFL quarterback. Your talking about Gabbet and Kaepernick and the reason either hasn’t been good enough to win it yet.

David Zizmor does the 49ers podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

By: Eric He

Eddie DeBartolo Jr., who owned the San Francisco 49ers from 1977 to 2000, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday in Canton, Ohio.

With DeBartolo at the helm, the 49ers won five Super Bowls and established themselves as a perennial superpower during the ’80s and ’90s with Joe Montana and later Steve Young under center.

“For me, one of the biggest honors is joining my guys,” DeBartolo said in his speech. “Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Charles Haley, Freddy Dean, Steve Young and of course, the great Bill Walsh. It’s no secret what a big part they played in me being here today.”

The 69-year-old has a bit of a mixed legacy. In 1999, he was suspended by the NFL after he failed to report a bribe. He was involved in a corruption case that involved Edwin Edwards, the former governor of Louisiana.

But on Saturday, all of that was in the past for “Eddie D’s” special day. Though, he mades sure to credit everyone else who made an impact.

“I stand here today for the equipment managers and the groundskeepers, and the laundry crew who worked hard everyday,” he said. “I stand here for the executive assistants, the PR team and the interns who worked through the weekends. I stand here for the scouts and the bus drivers, and the cooks and the schedulers and (hot) dog venders, and the community reps who might never ever see their name in lights, but who are every bit as important to building a winning football franchise, as the players we root for on Sunday.”

DeBartolo is also a member of the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame, in which he was inducted in 2008. Forever remembered as a unique, legendary owner, DeBartolo made an indelible imprint in 49ers’ history and his impact on not just the 49ers, but football as  whole, will live on for generations to come.

AP photo: San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Kelly gets ready to get his team into shape for the 2016 pre season

On the San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor, Philadelphia Eagles tackle Lane Johnson said of former head coach and current 49ers head coach Chip Kelly that he was a dictator when he was coaching in Philly and linesman Jason Peters said that Kelly would get ride of any veteran who spoke out. What happened for Johnson and Peters they didn’t have a good experience under Kelly.

If you want to characterize it as Kelly being a dictator or Kelly not communicating so be it but the bottom line is they didn’t like what was going on in Philadelphia and it’s reflected in their comments. How that’s going to play out with San Francisco that’s anybody’s guess. It’s not like were hearing this from every single player from the Eagles it’s a couple of guys on their offensive line you have to take this all with a grain of salt.

David has more on the 49ers podcast and each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

https://soundcloud.com/sports-radio-service/san-francisco-49ers-podcast-with-david-zizmor-wed-jul-3-2016

AP photo: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick gets his passes in at camp on June 9th

On the 49ers podcast with Dave the 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is in camp with the 49ers, Kaepernick as you might remember tried to get his agent to work a deal with the 49ers so he could leave the team and move out of town and there were a lot of rumors swirling around the idea of Kaepernick being shopped and being traded to the Denver Broncos in the off season.

The Broncos had former quarterback Peyton Manning retire and now they had their former quarterback Brock Oswieler their back up went to Houston during free agency. The move for Kaepernick to Denver never happened and whatever the asking price was or what Denver was willing to pay it didn’t match up.

David Zizmor does the 49ers podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com