Levi's® Stadium ticket requests from friends and family can wait. The same goes for cherished visits to Pier 39 with the Mrs.
Stevie Johnson was born in San Francisco, raised in the Bayview Hunter's Point neighborhood and has family living near Candlestick Park.
"This is my hometown, so I know all the parts," he told 49ers.com after a Tuesday workout with new teammates.
Johnson, who was acquired last week from the Buffalo Bills, has a favorite pastime whenever visiting his roots, one that could be on hold for the time being.
"I always take the Mrs. out to Pier 39," Johnson said. "Our tradition is to go to Fisherman's Warf, get the clam chowder bowls, calamari, some fries and get a crab and just chill right there on the pier."
Johnson's favorite Bay Area activities will likely be on hold for the time being. The play-making wideout is first intent on learning the 49ers playbook.
He also has goals of following in the footsteps of the players he watched as a young boy.
"With me being a receiver, of course you watch Jerry Rice, but when I first got into football it was when T.O. (Terrell Owens) was making his breakout year," Johnson said. "So that was the guy I watched. T.O., and Deion (Sanders), when he came in that one year, he turned it up."
In six seasons with the Bills, Johnson played once at Candlestick Park. It was a 45-3 shellacking at the hands of the 49ers in Week 5 of the 2012 regular season.
"Sadly, we took a loss," he said, "but I'm a Niner now, so that doesn't really matter."
Johnson will get to play his first "Niner" games at the team's new billion-dollar playground, Levi's® Stadium.
"It looks legendary, can't wait to score in it," Johnson said. "I can't wait to have fun with my teammates, can't wait to look into the stands, at the top, at the bottom and see the fans. It's good to be a part of it."
Some of the fans will surely be friends and family wearing red No. 13 jerseys.
Johnson is looking to make his family proud and continue the team's legacy of productive wide receivers.
"I want to be one of the Niner greats just like Rice did, like Crabtree and Boldin are doing now," Johnson said. "I just want to make the most of this opportunity."
