Golden Nuggets: What would you play if Patrick Willis handed you the aux?

49ers salute Bryant Young, roast each each other, at rollicking event tying past and present

“Speaking of youngsters, [Patrick] Willis revealed an interesting leadership technique he leaned on that involved, of all things, the weight room music. He said that although he knew his veteran status allowed him to play whatever he wanted, he let the kids play whatever they wanted, even if it grated on him. “I learned that if you allowed them to express themselves on little things like that, the trust would show up on the field,’’ Willis said. “There was a trust.”

In Tyrion Davis-Price, 49ers found a RB hungry for carries: ‘You can feed him’ (paywall)

“A lot of times, guys reach higher speeds because they have the opportunity,” assistant general manager Adam Peters said. “They maybe aren’t as fast as other guys, but because they have the opportunity to run 60 yards in a straight line they reach a high speed. (Davis-Price) reaching his top speed in a short amount of space is more impressive.”

Center Alex Mack announces retirement after 13 NFL seasons

“Mack, 36, earned his final Pro Bowl appearance last season, his only year spent in San Francisco. He signed with the 49ers as a free agent in March of 2021 in a move that not only reunited him for the third time with coach Kyle Shanahan — the pair also worked together in Atlanta and Cleveland — but was something of a full-circle moment for Mack, who played at the University of California in nearby Berkeley.”

Does Alex Mack’s retirement set the 49ers back?

“With uncertain options at the center position, Mack’s retirement could stunt the growth of the 49ers. No one knows head coach Kyle Shanahan’s plan. I’m sure he has one and that he planned for a possible scenario like this to happen. Could general manager John Lynch and Shanahan possibly bring in free agent JC Tretter? Or will Shanahan decide to go with someone in-house like a Brendel or a Brunskill?”

Branch: 49ers’ Alex Mack announces retirement: ‘I am so grateful to the game of football’ (paywall)

“The center position in the NFL is the heartbeat of an offense and Alex’s intellect, consistency, love for the game and professional approach made a lasting impression over the course of his 13 NFL seasons,” Lynch and Shanahan said in a statement. “Congratulations to Alex on a highly decorated NFL career and we wish him nothing but success in his post-playing career.”