Emmanuel Sanders is one of several San Francisco 49ers players scheduled to become a free agent. While the veteran receiver enjoyed his half a season with the team, the heartbreak from his second career Super Bowl loss is still too recent for him to think about his future right now.
As the Kansas City Chiefs enjoy a victory parade following their Super Bowl LIV win, 49ers players gathered for one last team meeting and to clean out their lockers on Wednesday. They will not return to the facility until the offseason program kicks off.
Will that include Sanders, who arrived mid-season via a trade from the Denver Broncos?
"I enjoyed this season," Sanders told reporters. "I love the Niners organization, so we're going to see what's going to happen. Truthfully, I have no thought process with it right now coming off the Super Bowl loss. I'm just trying to grieve that and enjoy being around the fellas right now.
"At some point, obviously, I've got to switch my mind, thinking about what's to come, and see what could happen. But as of right now, we're just a couple of days removed from losing the Super Bowl, so my mind's not even on that."
Emmanuel Sanders future w/#49ers:
"I enjoyed this season. I love the Niners organization so we're gonna see what's to happen. Truthfully I have no thought process with it right now coming off SB loss. Just trying to grieve that & enjoy being around the fellas right now." pic.twitter.com/yaoOj0l1Pt
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) February 5, 2020
One player who would love to have Sanders back is quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
"You can't even describe it, what E did, coming in the way he did, never asking for the ball, never doing too much. He was exactly what we needed on this team," Garoppolo said on Wednesday. "That veteran presence for the younger receivers, for just everyone, myself included. Just everything he did, he did it with class and you couldn't ask for a better teammate."
Added Garoppolo: "I would love to have E back. Like I said before, all the good things he did for us, but we'll see what happens. He's one of a kind, love that guy."
Jimmy Garoppolo wants Emmanuel Sanders back in 2020:
"He was exactly what we needed on this team. That veteran presence… Everything he did, he did it w/class & you couldn't ask for a better teammate."
"I would love to have E back… He's one of a kind, love that guy." #49ers pic.twitter.com/DcbuzplkqE
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) February 5, 2020
Players like tight end George Kittle and Sanders said they finally motivated themselves to watch the Super Bowl this week. It wasn't easy.
"I watched it for the first time last night, and it made it a lot worse," Kittle said via Bay Area News Group. "I've got to watch it for closure. It didn't help me at all. We just didn't make enough plays."
#49ers George Kittle said he won't require any offseason surgery. "I'm ready to roll"
On Super Bowl: "I watched it for the first time last night and it made it a lot worse. I've got to watch it for closure. It didn't help me at all. We just didn't make enough plays."
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) February 5, 2020
Sanders didn't just re-watch the heartbreaking game once. He did it multiple times.
"I watched the Super Bowl at least five or six times," Sanders said, "and it's like when you watch a movie like the Titanic and hope the ship doesn't sink, and the ship sinks over and over."
#49ers Emmanuel Sanders: "I watched the Super Bowl at least five or six times, and it's like when you watch a movie like the Titanic and hope the ship doesn't sink, and the ship sinks over and over. You watch the game and all the possible opportunities we could have come win"
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) February 5, 2020