Joe Staley didn't hold back after the 49ers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. This one stung for him and The Faithful. The 13-year pro now was 0-for-2 on the brightest stage.
“I’m sorry. I’m just super disappointed,” Staley said to reporters after the game. “This is very hard, being in this moment right now. You put your heart and soul, your whole entire life into trying to be a Super Bowl champion. You get to the end of your career and you realize how rare these opportunities are. Emotions are all still raw and real right now. I’m trying to answer questions as best I can.
"Sorry that I’m not -- put yourself in my shoes for a second. It’s tough.”
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What wound up being Staley's final game as a 49er was his most disappointing. Time can help ease the pain, but Staley said on the "Adam Schefter Podcast" that for now, last season's Super Bowl loss hurt more than his first in the Big Game.
"Having a 10-point lead with eight minutes left in the game, we felt [we were] in a comfortable spot," Staley told Schefter. "Our defense was playing really well. Then Patrick Mahomes just kind of did Patrick Mahomes things, and we came away on the losing end of that, unfortunately.
"I think time will ease those, and I'll have a better answer down the road as far as which one was harder to accept."
[49ERS INSIDER PODCAST: Listen to the latest episode]
The two Super Bowls that Staley played in were completely different. The 49ers were up by 10 points before giving up 21 unanswered to the Chiefs in their loss three months ago.
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And then there was Super Bowl XLVII. The 49ers trailed the Baltimore Ravens 28-6 at one point before Colin Kaepernick led the charge and San Francisco stormed back before three straight fades to Michael Crabtree fell short in a 34-31 loss.
"I think they're both unique," Staley said. "We had such a great comeback in the first one, down 28-6, then coming away with first-and-goals from the seven-yard line, basically, with like two minutes left. That was, obviously, very frustrating.
"Just a lot of heartache in the Super Bowl, unfortunately, for me in my career, but I was super privileged just to be able to play in those moments."
[RELATED: Staley wanted to be able to turn his neck, so then he retired]
Staley called his NFL career and two Super Bowl runs a "dream come true" but the hurt in defeat still is clear for the six-time Pro Bowl.
One of the main reasons 49ers fans always will hang their heads on the Super Bowl LIV loss is because of Staley. They felt the fan favorite deserved a ring. Now, he'll be rooting for San Francisco to win one without him.