Golden Nuggets: Richburg on 2018, “it was not fun at all”

The San Francisco 49ers activated center Weston Richburg from the PUP list on Monday, as the quest for 23-0 lives on. Richburg met with the media after practice to discuss his 2018, and his rehab process.

Richburg started by saying “it was not a fun year at all.” When Richburg suffered a leg injury during the third game of the season last year, he partially tore a tendon that connects his thigh to his kneecap. Think about that for a second, knowing Richburg started 15 games in the NFL. If I get fouled at LA Fitness, I throw a fit and act like I’m dying. Richburg didn’t want to let his teammates down, so he continued to play through his injury. Knowing what Richburg is capable of and what he went through, it was easy to forgive his play in 2018.

“When you’re dealing with things like that and things don’t look the way you want, when you want to be very good, it’s frustrating. It’s very difficult. Not a lot of people understand the things a lot of guys went through last year in this locker room.”

The 49ers were no stranger to injuries in 2018. If you pick a position, there was probably a significant injury. Richburg continued, “I was on crutches with my leg locked straight for a month and a half, which takes a toll on the muscle.”

It’s been a long rehab process for Richburg, who was initially expected to return in July. Judging by his words above, it’s understandable why both he and the 49ers were cautious. The plan was for Richburg to get some reps late in the preseason, and ultimately be ready for Tampa Bay Week 1. It’d have been great if Richburg could have played all of August, but big picture, everyone wants to see him 100% without any setbacks.

Kyle Shanahan told us that Richburg will not play in the preseason finale on Thursday, so we’ll have to wait to see a healthy Richburg for when it counts.

Onto some links:

Why the 49ers are learning a hard lesson about the value of running backs (Biderman)

John Lynch Provides Player Updates Following 49ers Initial Roster Cuts (49ers.com)

Kurtenbach: The 49ers’ roster was shaped by Kyle Shanahan’s ego (Mercury News)

5 biggest takeaways from 49ers roster cuts in 2019 (Niners Noise)

Four tight ends? It’s part of the 49ers’ plan to protect George Kittle (Branch)

Former 49ers RB Gore, 36, outlasts McCoy with the Bills (NBC Sports)