San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh used the word “opportunity” 12 times at the podium Thursday. This is a team that’s needed several players at multiple positions to be the “next man
up.”
The latest star player to go down with a season-ending injury was Fred Warner at linebacker. After praising the franchise cornerstones who came before Warner, like Ken Norton Jr., Patrick Willis, and NaVorro Bowman, Saleh discussed how 2025 is Tatum Bethune’s chance to step into the shoes of Warner.
Bethune’s love for the game has been on full display through two games. His maximum effort is a big reason why the defense stopped the Falcons on a third down late in the game in Week 7.
“You want guys who love the game and everything about it,” Saleh said. “There’s a difference between a player who loves the game and everything that it brings versus a guy who likes what football gives him. There’s a big difference.”
On the third down play I’m referring to, Bethune launches himself into one of Atlanta’s blockers. There was no glory in the play. Bethune effectively gave himself up. But in turn, he forced Bijan Robinson to cut back inside, where the rest of the 49ers cavalry was waiting for Robinson.
Saleh continued, “When you’re going through the evaluation process, trying to find the guys who genuinely love ball, whether it gives them money, fame, they don’t care, they just want to play the game. Trying to separate those guys from the guys who like what football gives them, the fame, the notoriety, all that stuff, those guys don’t last. It’s the ones who truly love the game and the process that goes with it.”
You can’t show up to practice on Wednesday without cramming on Monday and Tuesday. As Saleh noted, that includes studying, rehabbing, and lifting.
Malik Mustapha, Dee Winters, and Bethune are all on record saying they meet up outside of the team facility, where they watch more film and study in general. Saleh referenced a former Nick Saban quote:
“They love the game. [Former University of Alabama Head Coach] Nick Saban, I don’t want to sit here and mess up what he quoted, but he has a cool piece that goes around social media that talks about how people who love ball gravitate to people who love ball. You can’t have mediocre people mixing with elite minds. It just doesn’t work. Usually that happens, they’re going to gravitate towards one another. If you love the game of football, you’re going to gravitate to one another, and if you don’t, you’re going to gravitate to your click. Those guys love the game of football and everything that comes with it. So, it’s not surprising to hear that they try to find each other to study more tape.”
Rookie Upton Stout missed last week’s game, leading to Chase Lucas filling in at nickel. Saleh described what stands out about Lucas:
“Football savvy, energy giver. He sees all the nuance in football, every little detail. He studies his butt off. He’s the ultimate energy giver. He’s giving juice to everybody. He’s talking smack with everybody. He’s helping out [CB] Upton [Stout] as much as he can to help him accelerate. A young man who loves the game of football and everything that goes with it. A guy that when he seizes his opportunity he’s taking advantage of it. The guy’s out there, he plays corner, he plays nickel, he plays safety. It would be a disservice to try to explain how valuable he is. He’s invaluable to this football team. He’s awesome.”
The 49ers have a decision to make. Give the rookie his spot back, or take out a player who made multiple plays on the biggest downs of the game. Stout is another player who plays the game the way the 49ers want it played. However, he’s been caught peeking in the backfield, which has led him to give up several plays in coverage.
That has not been the case with Lucas, albeit with a much smaller sample size. Still, Lucas hasn’t given you any reason to take him off the field if you’re Saleh. If anything, he’s earned the right to stay.
