Throughout the 49ers’ State of the Franchise event, which served this week as a pep rally, fans in attendance routinely and randomly shouted their expectations for the 2018 season.
“Super Bowl!”
As it turns out, that goal is being expressed within the 49ers’ locker room during the offseason program, too.
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When asked on The 49ers Insider Podcast about what he and his teammates talk about four months before the start of the regular season, new 49ers running back Jerick McKinnon said the conversation is centered on posting a victory on the first Sunday of February.
“The Super Bowl,” McKinnon said. “That’s what the eyes are on. That’s the prize. That’s the ultimate goal.
“The whole team has talked about it. We had a thing with the Navy SEALS. They were asking us, ‘What’s the goal?’ It was equally collaborated on: 'Win the Super Bowl.'”
Early in the 49ers’ offseason program, coach Kyle Shanahan brought a NAVY SEALS program to the team’s training facility to foster camaraderie and work on team-building exercises.
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Left tackle Joe Staley, the longest-tenured 49ers player, spoke enthusiastically Wednesday night in front of a crowd of approximately 1,100 fans in downtown San Jose about the upcoming season.
"I've never been more excited for a football season to get here,” Staley said. “The locker room, the energy, not only do we all get along, it's all built on respect of work. I'm really excited.”
McKinnon, whom the 49ers targeted as an upgrade over Carlos Hyde for coach Kyle Shanahan’s scheme, was mostly a third-down back during his four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.
McKinnon came to within one win of the Super Bowl last season, as the Vikings lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. He believes it is important to set high goals with a long season ahead.
"In the season, you're going to have ups and downs," McKinnon said. "That's just part of a 17-week NFL season. But at the end of it, you've just got to keep the eye on the prize, and that's the Super Bowl. So whatever it is that happens, we have to stick together as a team to get to that common goal."