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On Wednesday, Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver Chase Claypool, who had a four-touchdown game earlier this season, praised his team’s coaching staff for protecting players’ bodies.
He did so at the expense of the 49ers, who Claypool said still wear pads on Thursdays, according to a friend on the team. Claypool, it’s worth noting, was drafted out of Notre Dame, where he played alongside rookie wide receiver Chris Finke, now on San Francisco’s practice squad.
It was reported earlier this week by ESPN’s Evan Kaplan that the 49ers, once Jimmy Garoppolo and George Kittle are placed on injured reserve, will have more than $80 million in cap value on injured reserve. They did not have practices featuring contact in training camp.
Once Jimmy Garoppolo and George Kittle are placed on Injured Reserve, the 49ers will have $80 million dollars worth of cap value on IR this season, per @Epkap.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 2, 2020
“I was talking to my friend on the Niners and they’re still wearing full pads on Thursdays,” Claypool said. “We haven’t done that since camp, so having a coach that understands how long the season is, the wear and tear on your body, it’s super helpful for getting you through the season and getting you to be able to play well in the playoffs.”
Here’s the link to the video.