SANTA CLARA — With a first-round playoff bye during Super Wild Card Weekend, 49ers players will be able to enjoy the first week of the postseason as fans.
After two solid practices during the week, coach Kyle Shanahan has given his players the weekend off to enjoy watching how the first round of the playoffs unfolds. When asked his preference for winners of the weekend, linebacker Fred Warner might have had the most appropriate response.
“I’m excited to watch just as a football fan, and see who we play,” Warner said before a smile crept across his face. “But I hope everybody loses. And then who knows, then we won’t have to play.”
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The All-Pro’s light-hearted quip came after a nod of acknowledgment when asked of his rooting interest in the Houston Texans whose head coach, DeMeco Ryans, was Warner’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach with the 49ers.
While Warner always will have an incredible amount of respect for his former coach, it’s all about the final goal, which means, everyone and anyone is fair game in the eyes of competition.
Defensive end Nick Bosa was a little more relaxed when asked what team he might be pulling for in the first round.
"Yeah, definitely for DeMeco,” Bosa said. “Other than that, just to see who we are playing.”
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The reigning Defensive Player of the Year added that he wouldn’t be doing any scouting during the games but rather just watching as a fan.
“I’ve seen a lot of these teams already, especially the NFC,” Bosa said. “So just watching, and enjoying not beating my body up for a week.”
As the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed, the 49ers will host the lowest-seeded wild-card round winner in a divisional-round game on either Jan. 20 or Jan. 21. Until then, they will wait, watch and enjoy the rest.