LAS VEGAS — In what has become somewhat of a tradition for the 49ers on days before games, Nick Bosa, their hellacious edge rusher, speaks to the entire team.
It’s an exercise 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan began.
“I always pick someone differently every day to break down the team,’’ Shanahan said. “I always just try to surprise someone and do it pretty randomly. It kind of keeps everyone on their toes a little bit. I did it randomly for the first time with Nick some Saturday, and he did a good job and we won, so I did it the next Saturday. He did a little bit better job … then we won.
“Then we just started with that the following year, and it’s kind of just since then it’s become our tradition. Nick’s gotten really good at it. I remember he has always been good at it. But it’s funny how guys who are so confident in everything they do, they’re just not used to always speaking in front of groups.
“[Bosa] used to tell me that was the most nervous he’d be throughout the whole week. He’d start getting nervous about it on Wednesdays. I think earlier this year he thanked me. He was like, ‘Hey, thanks for doing that by the way. I’ve gotten better at it. I’m not as nervous anymore.’
“He is really good at it. Everything he says he thinks through. Nick doesn’t waste words because he doesn’t use many of them.”
Kelce already a playoff legend
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce comes into the game with the most receptions in NFL playoff history (156).
He also has the second-most receiving yards (1,810) and touchdowns (19) in the playoffs, trailing Jerry Rice in both of those categories.
Rice had 2,245 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns in the playoffs.
Some personal space, please
It’s common for the biggest stars on a team to occupy multiple stalls in a locker room, but 49ers left tackle Trent Williams, 35, has his “fenced off like it’s a club,” according to teammate George Kittle.
If you think there might be jealousy on a team with so many stars, think again. The 6-foot-5, 320-pounder commands respect among the respected.
“Trent is a big guy, so I feel he needs more than one locker,” cornerback Charvarius Ward said. “For a big guy he’s got a lot of swag, too. He’s a Hall of Famer, so he can get damn-near whatever he wants. If you are a Hall of Famer and 35-, 36-, 37-year-old and still the best in the league at your position, you can get three, four, five lockers if you want, I’m pretty sure.”
New dad Pugh hopes to be back
Justin Pugh was briefly in town representing Lovesac, the furniture company he hooked up with after he came “straight off the couch’’ to play for the Giants in the Oct. 15 game in Buffalo.
Pugh and his wife, Angela, recently welcomed their first child into the world, a daughter they named Josephine. Pugh said he will call her Joie.
They still live in the Phoenix area, and Pugh is hoping to return to the New Jersey area to continue his career with the Giants.
He started the final 12 games of the 2023 season and could serve as a starter or key reserve at guard or tackle.
The leadership he provided upon his arrival was felt in the locker room within the offensive line.
The Chiefs ruled out left guard Joe Thuney with a pectoral injury.
Nick Allegretti, who started in the Super Bowl against the 49ers four years ago, worked as the starter all week at left guard and will start in Thuney’s place.
