For having been in the building a matter of days, the 49ers made quite the impression on wide receiver acquisition Emmanuel Sanders.
Per Jennifer Lee Chan, Sanders had an unforgettable experience coming out of the tunnel before the 49ers began their 51-13 drubbing of the Carolina Panthers.
“I knew it,” Sanders said via Chan. “All week the energy has been so positive here. This locker room is just amazing with a great group of players, and great personalities around here. I showed today expecting the same results in personality. I will never forget going out into the tunnel with these guys. Everybody was laughing and smiling. I was like, man this is football, this is fun. I am blessed to be here.”
Sanders new-found warmth was reflected on the field. He started the game with two catches and the game-opening touchdown. The future is bright indeed.
What Sanders said again reflects on one of the mantras of the John Lynch/Kyle Shanahan regime. They wanted high character players. John Lynch promised players who were good teammates and he certainly has delivered with this squad. These guys have been through a lot too. THey played on a team that had no chance in 2017 and then a team that was buried injuries for 2018. It’s not wrong to think that those seasons might have made the team even stronger from there. Those cultures are what influence discounts in free agency also, something the 49ers may look for to extend Sanders after 2019.
This positivity and culture appears to be contagious. One week in and Sanders has bought in. Winning certainly helps.