Golden Nuggets: Two 49ers Named To All-Pro... And Neither Are Bosa (?)

49ers-Cowboys Game Statuses: Two major returns expected

“After punching their ticket to the playoffs without newly-minted All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, the 49ers will receive an enormous boost this weekend as he returns to the field.... Head coach Kyle Shanahan listed Williams without any injury status, as well as nickel corner K’Waun Williams, who missed last week’s game after a stint on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.”

Two 49ers named to AP All-Pro team

“The AP announced its All-Pro team, with [Trent] Williams a near-unanimous vote. Per the AP, Williams received 46 of a possible 50 votes to make the team for the first time.”

49ers’ Kyle Shanahan shocked by Nick Bosa All-Pro snub

“I definitely think Bosa should be there; there’s no doubt about that,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Friday. “I’m shocked that—I don’t think people appreciate how good Bosa is, play-in and play-out. I’ve heard people talk about him for Comeback Player of the Year, and every time they say that, I can’t believe he hasn’t been mentioned in Defensive Player of the Year [talk]. So, that was a surprise to me.”

Bully in the building: All eyes on Deebo Samuel as 49ers begin their playoff run (paywall)

“Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo noted several times this season that Samuel, 25, took control of the wide receivers room starting early in the offseason, and the veteran member of that group, Mohamed Sanu, said he was more than happy to see the younger player take charge.”

Kyle Shanahan provides final updates ahead of 49ers-Cowboys

“The San Francisco 49ers are preparing to play the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters after today’s practice. Here is everything he had to say.”

49ers more excited about Trey Lance now than when they drafted him, says John Lynch

“So, we’ve been very creative as to how we try to further that growth without him playing game reps, and I’ve seen him get better right before our eyes. And he’s also got that quality, like Jimmy, he’s just a guy that people love and like, and his teammates have that respect for him.”

Arik Armstead’s unselfish play a big reason for 49ers’ impressive run defense, says DeMeco Ryans

“I think our run defense improved drastically because of the unselfish play by Arik Armstead,” defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans said on Friday. “I think people kind of forget we lost our starter in Kinlaw early in the year, and we were trying to figure that out inside. When you want to play good run defense, you have to have two really good interior defensive linemen. And Arik unselfishly moving inside [helped], and D.J. Jones has been outstanding all year.”

Kawakami: ‘Made of the right stuff’ — DeMeco Ryans, the calm center of the 49ers’ defense (paywall)

“With Saleh, Shanahan had kind of a fiery yin-and-yang relationship. Shanahan would sometimes challenge Saleh’s schemes and decisions in meetings, and Saleh talked Shanahan through them. With Ryans, Shanahan seems more managerial — watching Ryans handle the day-to-day grind and the criticism when the defense fell apart against Arizona backup quarterback Colt McCoy in a humiliating 31-17 home loss on Nov. 7.”

49ers vs. Cowboys: Savoring a new spin on an old-school playoff rivalry — 10 observations and our predictions (paywall)

“As the final seconds ticked off the clock in the 49ers’ gut-wrenching Super Bowl LIV loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, NFL Films cameras caught tight end George Kittle vowing to return to the big game with a “vengeance.”... over 700 days have passed since that moment. The 49ers, of course, have not yet been back to the Super Bowl. But their chance to make a playoff run that earns the coveted return ticket begins Sunday at AT&T Stadium.”