Good Morning Faithful,
Here are the top 49ers headlines for Tuesday, June 8.
New and Notable
Ranking All 32 NFL Linebacker Units
Pro Football Focus recently analyzed the linebacker position and ranked their top 32 players at that spot heading into the 2021. Two of San Francisco's linebackers landed atop their list in Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. This week, the analytic's site looked at each team's unit as a whole, ranking them from 1 to 32. The 49ers nabbed the top spot, with Warner and Greenlaw's performances during the 2020 season driving San Francisco to No. 1.
Heading into training camp next month, the 49ers have nine linebackers on the roster.
- Azeez Al-Shaair
- James Burgess Jr.
- Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
- Nathan Gerry
- Dre Greenlaw
- Jonas Griffith
- Justin Hilliard
- Elijah Sullivan
- Fred Warner
Roster Moves
The 49ers announced on Monday they have signed S Tony Jefferson to a one-year deal. In order to make room on the roster, the team released CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun.
Jefferson (5-11, 211) originally entered the NFL after signing with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent on April 29, 2013. Throughout his seven-year career with the Cardinals (2013-16) and Baltimore Ravens (2017-19), he has appeared in 98 games (66 starts) and registered 434 tackles, 22 passes defensed, 8.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown). Jefferson has also started four postseason contests and added 34 tackles and two passes defensed. He was released by the Ravens on February 14, 2020.
A 29-year-old native of Chula Vista, CA, Jefferson attended the University of Oklahoma for three years (2010-12) where he appeared in 40 games (34 starts) and registered 258 tackles, 18.0 tackles for loss, 13 passes defensed, eight interceptions and 7.0 sacks. As a junior in 2012, he earned Associated Press Second-Team All-America honors after finishing with a team-high 119 tackles.
Tenured Women of the 49ers Front Office: Nikki Hawkins
In August of 1992, Nikki Hawkins was a recent college graduate in need of employment. Little did she know that her introduction to the 49ers was a cartwheel away in the San Jose State University gymnasium.
"I was a gymnast at San Jose State, and my coach's husband (Jerry Walker) was the PR director at the time for the 49ers," Nikki said. "I got a call out of the blue asking if I was still looking for a job and if I'd be interested in doing some keying and filing in the business office during the season."
It proved to be a perfect fit for both Nikki and the 49ers. Two short months later, the team's then-CFO Keith Simon asked if she would be interested in staying on full-time, and she accepted.
Read More >>>
Quick Hits
In the 17th episode of "Inside the Oval" presented by Dignity Health, Angie Nix discussed her journey from an usher to Director of Guest Services, how people can join the Levi's® Stadium events team and why women should speak up when they have a seat at the table.
Listen Now: 49ers.com/audio | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
--
Continuing an annual tradition, the 2021 49ers PRIDE LGBTQ+ Activism in Sports Panel will take place on June 22 from 12PM-1PM PST via Zoom Webinar and feature professional athletes and sports personalities who will discuss the normalization of LGBTQ+ athletes and their personal experiences as out and allied persons in sports.
--
According to Pro Football Focus, Tony Jefferson is tied for 8th in stops among safeties in his last healthy season (2018) while lining up primarily at free safety.
