SANTA CLARA — Mike McGlinchey was “jazzed up” as he welcomed a long-lost cluster of reporters to his new spot in the 49ers’ locker room.
This was shortly after Friday night’s preseason-opening win, and two long seasons since the media had access to the players’ kingdom.
“It puts a little life in the building and gets a little more excitement through the locker room,” said McGlinchey, a veteran right tackle and ever-amicable spokesman. “We’ve got to re-learn our etiquette a little bit, with not as many free reins around here right now.
“It’s good to see you guys, to put all that crap behind us of the last two or three years.”
Health precautions amid the COVID pandemic shut NFL locker rooms to the media once the 2019 49ers’ returned from their Super Bowl defeat. Friday night marked their locker room’s grand re-opening, though any accompanying “fanfare” came in the form of happy quotes about their 28-21 win over the Green Bay Packers
At 8:56 p.m., we were in, back inside the 49ers’ locker room for the first time since their 2019 team packed up 3 days after Super Bowl LIV
“It’s good to see you guys, to put all that crap behind us of the last two or three years” – Mike McGlinchey on COVID protocols & media ban pic.twitter.com/pmJlBihTJe
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) August 13, 2022
Why is locker room access important? Because face-to-face interaction with players leads to greater insight to share with fans and the general public. It’s not as if reporters are clamoring to see players get dressed nor ask for keepsakes like autographs.
Speaking of mementos, rookie quarterback Brock Purdy was at his locker when he showed off the football he threw for his first pro touchdown — the game-winning score to Tanner Hudson. Turns out, Trey Lance chased down that ball once Hudson tossed it, and Purdy is forever grateful, saying of Lance: “I’m like, ‘Dude, you’re literally the best.’ He’s humble. I look up to that dude a lot.”
Chances are Purdy wouldn’t have brought that football to a Zoom room or media podium — nor shared that anecdote about how admirable Lance is.
The 49ers last opened their locker room to the media three days after losing the Lombardi Trophy in February 2020. The next season was confined to press conferences via Zoom video sessions, and, last season saw players made available at postgame podiums with media mandated to wear masks.
At 8:56 p.m. Friday, reporters walked through those red doors with the 49ers logo and into the locker room, where the smell of victory mixed with that of sweat and grass stains for football’s intoxicating cologne.
McGlinchey’s locker may have been in a new location to reporters, but he shared a secret: he moved to that quiet corner of the locker room two seasons ago.
As for his old locker across the room, isn’t that where Lance is now? “Yes. Good memory,” McGlinchey said.
Lance is intentionally wedged between Jimmie Ward and Jason Verrett, the 49ers’ most savvy defensive backs and quiet leaders.
And what happened to the digs of Lance’s predecessor, Jimmy Garoppolo? He still has his same locker, though no personal artifacts remain in it other than a helmet, shoulder pads, team-issued shirts and a bottle of lotion. Garoppolo threw on the side the first two weeks of camp while awaiting a trade or release before the regular season starts; he isn’t practicing and wasn’t spotted on the 49ers’ sideline Friday night.
Neighboring Garoppolo’s locker is defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway’s. In 2019, it was guard Mike Person. Across the way is still George Kittle’s locker, and he’s one of the few players in their same locker since that season’s Super Bowl run.
Fred Warner, still entrenched in his middle-of-the-row spot, expressed surprise at seeing reporters, saying: “I forgot you all were allowed back into here.”
Other have moved spots, like McGlinchey to DeForest Buckner’s old locker, wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the entryway, and second-year guard Aaron Banks to a safe haven away from stray basketballs that still get shot at a nearby rim.
There is not a ping-pong table like there was before coach Kyle Shanahan arrived in 2017. However, there still are games to keep the competitive juices flowing. None were on display Friday (true “game” day, after all) but players talked about a putting-green game, and also a chess board, which apparently has been ruled by Arik Armstead, Josh Hokit and Nate Sudfeld. Last year saw an array of cornhole boards; offensive linemen Trent Williams, Colton McKivitz and Jake Brendel are quite accomplished, Banks said.
Music from a wall-mounted jukebox played after this win, prompting wide receiver Jauan Jennings to sing and dance, as you’d expect.
Familiar signs remain on walls amid the walnut-facade lockers.
There is still one proclaiming the three team rules: 1.) Protect the team; 2.) No complaining, no excuses; 3.) Be on time.
New signage is sprinkled in other corners: “Do Right Longer,” “Protect & Attack,” “How You Do Anything Is How You Do Enough.”
“Top notch,” rookie guard Spencer Burford said of his new surroundings.
Burford sat alone at his locker cutting tape from his ankles when approached to review his pro debut. As he cut the tape and shoved off his cleats, he savored everything about the postgame life of a NFL player. He also just made an impressive debut, starting at right guard and playing into the second half.
“It was everything you dream about and a little bit more,” said Burford, a Texas-San Antonio product and a fourth-round pick. “When you get finally out there, there are nerves and jitters, especially being a rookie starting the first game. It was electrifying. I can’t complain.”
Neither could Purdy in the opposite corner of the locker room, who said: “Just being out there, I was, ‘Man, I’m in an NFL stadium, wearing a 49ers’ logo, the NFL logo. This is crazy. It’s everything I dreamed of.’ ”
Well, almost everything. He probably didn’t dream of getting a fat lip from quarterbacks coach Brian Griese as another sideline reward for the winning touchdown pass. “He hugged me so hard, the water bottle cut my lip,” Purdy said. “It was fun and a good environment, too.”
It was not all good on the media access front. The NFL is cracking down on photographer access and limiting on-field credentials, preposterously to only one per news outlet per game with no full-season passes. They apparently prefer the foolish aesthetics of a lesser populated field than fabulous action shots and zoomed-in photos that tell a 1,000-word stories.
But the locker room — and its tighter confines — is again an open pasture.
Championship banners still hang on the upper walls. There’s obviously been no need to update the off-white drape listing their five Super Bowl-winning seasons, but, get this, the 49ers have not updated the banners for their 2019 efforts in winning the NFC Championship and NFC West.
In the hallway leading in and out of the locker room, the wallpaper remains the same as it has since Shanahan arrived. One wall shows an image of the 49ers’ five-piece, Lombardi Trophy collection. The other wall is a collage of franchise icons — Dwight Clark, Steve Young, Roger Craig, Joe Montana, Patrick Willis, Ronnie Lott and Jerry Rice — with the reminder: “It Won’t Be Easy But It Will Be Worth It.”
Such is also life for the reporters who dare enter, win or lose, seeking not just soundbites but anecdotes and the personal rapport that was missed the past two years.
“It is good to see everybody back,” McGlinchey added, “and definitely exciting to see faces and not masks all throughout the crew here.”
CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device
