Coach Kyle Shanahan announced the 49ers' team captains for the 2022 season, and for the first time in several years, the list does not include the team's quarterback.
The captains were determined solely by player votes, and the coach decided to go with the top six. Quarterback Trey Lance received the seventh-highest amount of votes, and Deebo Samuel received the eighth most.
On Tuesday, Shanahan shared that when he was delivered the final tally of votes, he agreed with all of his team’s choices. The coach jokingly said that he could have cheated if he wanted to, but he didn’t. Shanahan simply decided to go with six, and explained why.
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“If you look into it that much, he was seventh in voting,” Shanahan said speaking of Lance. “I just didn’t want to put seven on there. Deebo was eight. We just wanted to go with six. They don’t allow eight to go to the coin toss, I don’t believe.”
2022 49ers team captains:
LT Trent Williams
TE George Kittle
LB Fred Warner
DE Nick Bosa
S Jimmie Ward
DT Arik Armstead
All six of the 49ers' team captains have at least three years of NFL experience and arguably are at the top of their respective position groups. Several have been on the list before, outside of Nick Bosa, who will make his debut as a team captain.
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Bosa is not a big talker, but the star pass rusher's work ethic is an example of why he has become a leader in the locker room. Shanahan knows that all of Bosa's teammates hold him in very high regard. The coach added that Lance coming in at seven in voting isn't about a lack of respect, but rather experience.
Lance, who is in his second season with the 49ers, is set to begin his first year as their starting quarterback. The 22-year-old shared why he agrees with the choices the team made and explained why he is not upset about not being one of the six.
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“Obviously that’s a goal of mine,” Lance said. “But I don’t think you can look at any six of those guys and think that guy’s a bozo, because all those guys have played football at a very, very high level.
“I voted for every single one of those guys, so I think each and every one of them deserves it. It’s obviously a goal of mine, but those guys have proved it.”
Shanahan added that while a lot of quarterbacks are team captains, rarely is it a rookie. While Lance is technically a second-year pro, for all intents and purposes with the 49ers, it’s Lance’s rookie season as the starting quarterback.