LOS GATOS – Twenty minutes down the road from the 49ers’ minicamp, and a generation removed from his tenure as their coach, Steve Mariucci took a moment Tuesday to ponder his old team’s most pressing issue.
The answer might surprise you.
“I’d say being able to hang on in their pass defense a little bit better, to complement that pass rush,” Mariucci said at his 26th annual charity bocce tournament. “Because they’re going to be playing from ahead quite a bit. And they’re going to have to be hanging on to leads.”
Last season ended with the 49ers infamously making NFL history: They were the first team to blow a lead twice in the fourth quarter and again in overtime, doing so merely on the Super Bowl stage in a 25-22 lead to the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
“They’re going to have to stop the Jared Goffs that come to town, and the Patrick Mahomes, and Aaron Rodgers, and Matthew Stafford,” Mariucci added. “They’re going to have to be good against the pass if they want to win those big games.
“Those quarterbacks are needing to score a lot of points and are going to play wide-open.”
Coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch made offseason moves to prepare the 49ers’ defense: Nick Sorensen got promoted to replace Steve Wilks as defensive coordinator, Brandon Staley was added to the staff, and several potential defensive starters were acquired — defensive linemen Leonard Floyd, Yetur Gross-Matos, and Maliek Collins; linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, and, second-round nickel back Rendardo Green.
Mariucci’s role as an NFL Network analyst since 2006 keeps him in tune with all league matters, and while he still calls the South Bay foothills home, he’s not required to fret over a Brandon Aiyuk contract holdout or the 49ers’ business. However, Aiyuk’s absence from this offseason’s workouts – including Tuesday’s start of mandatory minicamp – concerns Mariucci, who coached Hall of Fame receivers Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens during his 1997-2002 tenure.
“He’s been their best receiver over the last two years. That’s important,” Mariucci said of Aiyuk quest for a contract extension. “Because he’s been clutch. He’s been consistent. He’s been dependable. He’s been very reliable. They could always develop the young kid but this kid’s a winner. It’s imperative they sign him back.”
Traditionally, the 49ers have rewarded a homegrown player with a top-of-the-market contract extension around training camp in late July, or, in Nick Bosa’s case last year, just before the season opener. That track record suggests Aiyuk remains poised to strike a deal close to perhaps $30 million annually, judging from the ballooning market rate.
The 49ers spent their first-round draft pick this year on wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who’s establishing a quick rapport with Brock Purdy while taking key reps alongside Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings, the latter of whom signed a two-year contact last week.
Tuesday brought another contract extension: Christian McCaffrey’s two-year, $38 million pact through the 2027 season. “He’s been such a key,” Mariucci said.
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Mariucci has been a huge key around these parts for nearly three decades, and he’s made an unparalleled impact upon the community when it comes to all-time 49ers coaches. His charity bocce tournament, which he used to co-host with John Madden, has raised over $8 million for such groups as the Special Olympics of Northern California, the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Foundation, Los Gatos Youth Sports, Una Casa Mas housing fund, and the Mariucci Family Foundation.
Tuesday’s event attracted 49ers alumni including Ronnie Lott, Dwaine Board, Eric Wright, John Paye, Dave Fiore, and, Alan Kennedy. Among the silent-auction items was a 49ers’ helmet autographed by Nick Bosa as well as a behind-the-scenes visit to NFL Network’s Gameday set.
