Safety Talanoa Hufanga is part of the wave of free agency changes to the San Francisco 49ers roster this offseason. Following the completion of his rookie contract, the veteran safety is taking his talents to the Denver Broncos for the next chapter of his career.
Hufanga was a fifth-round selection (180th-overall) in the 2021 NFL Draft, and by his second-season in the league, earned a starting safety position, along with All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. He has appeared in 49 games (37 starts) and registered 219 tackles, seven interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, 14 passes defensed and two forced fumbles. He also appeared in five postseason contests (three starts), tallying 17 tackles and a pass defensed.
The veteran safety has recorded a number of highlight-worthy plays during his time in The Bay, however, there is one that has been cemented into 49ers playoff lore. During the 2021 NFL playoffs, the seventh-seed 49ers were up against the top seed in the NFC, the Green Bay Packers, in the Divisional Round. San Francisco was trailing 10-3 with less than five minutes left to play when one play turned the whole game on its head. Defensive lineman Jordan Willis blocked Green Bay's punt at the 12-yard line, and Hufanga recovered the loose ball and ran it in for a touchdown to tie the game. Hufanga's special teams score revitalized the 49ers, who went on to force a three-and-out and put together a field-goal scoring drive to punch their ticket to the NFC Championship Game.
