Cal Sports Report

49ers Lose but C Alex Mack Makes Big Impact -- Literally

Former Cal star made a highlight-reel block in NFC title game, and he was added to Pro Bowl roster

Jake Curtis

49ers Lose but C Alex Mack Makes Big Impact -- Literally
49ers Lose but C Alex Mack Makes Big Impact -- Literally /

The final former Cal player left in the NFL playoffs as been eliminated, but not before he made an impact.

Centers don’t usually make highlight reels, but 49ers center Alex Mack, who played at Cal from 2004 through 2008, made a block in Sunday’s 20-17 NFC championship game loss to the Los Angeles Rams that will be his calling card if that happened to be the last game in Mack’s pro career.

Mack got a reward for his solid performance throughout the 2021 season when he was added the Pro Bowl roster on Tuesday. This will be his seventh Pro Bowl, and he joins four other former Cal players selected for the Pro Bowl, which will be played this Sunday.

Mack’s moment of glory on Sunday came in the second quarter and was a pivotal play, enabling the 49ers to tie the game 7-7.

Mack pulled out and led the way on a screen pass to Deebo Samuel. It ended up being a 44-yard touchdown reception, but it might have gone for just 10 yards or so if had not been for the monster block Mack put on Rams safety Nick Scott.

On the lower right part of the screen in the video below, you can see the 311-pound Mack (No. 50) bury the 201-pound Scott (No. 33), planting Los Angeles safety on his butt and taking him completely out of the play as Samuel rolls past.

Mack was hoping to make it to make it to the Super Bowl for the second time, giving him a chance for a different outcome than he had in his first shot. On Feb. 5, 2017, Mack was the center for the Atlanta Falcons, who had a 28-3 lead on the New England Patriots midway through the third quarter. As we all know the Patriots and Tom Brady ended up winning that game 34-28 in overtime, and the Falcons have never recovered from that devastating loss.

Mack was focused before the game against the Rams:

There were thoughts that Mack might retire after his contract with the Falcons expired following the 2020 season. But he signed a three-year contract with the 49ers. And despite a recent history of injuries, Mack played all 20 games for the 49ers this season, and he and his offensive line mates did a good job of controlling Rams defensive stars Aaron Donald and Von Miller until the closing stages of Sunday’s game.

Now the question is whether Mack will return for his 14th NFL season in 2022. Although his contract is technically for three years, Mack only had guaranteed money for this season. That would make it easy for the 49ers to release Mack, who turned 36 years old in November.

If the 49ers were to release Mack now, they’d save $1,825,000 million in cap space. But if they release him after the 2022 season, they’d save 2,625,000 against the salary cap. So it makes sense to keep Mack for another year, especially since Mack stayed healthy all season and was effective.

It’s probably up to Mack, who noted before the 2020 season while with the Falcons that he might consider retiring after last season.

Here is what Mack told ESPN.com in May 2020:

"Going into Year 12, I feel pretty good and excited for it, ready to take it on. “I'll play the year out, see how I feel -- how my body works and how much I'm enjoying it -- then make the decision at the end of year if I want to keep going or what. The future is unknown, and that's the way I'm looking at it. Every year is one year at a time: keep going, prepare, and play, and do everything as best as I can. Then I'll see where I'm at.''

Mack is a six-time Pro Bowler, although he has not been selected for the Pro Bowl since 2018. And the 49ers may want his experience and expertise at the center position if the 49ers turn to Trey Lance as their starting quarterback in 2022.

But Mack will have options outside of football.

While at Cal he won the Draddy Trophy as college football's top scholar-athlete athlete in the nation. The award that includes a $25,000 postgraduate scholarship, although Mack probably doesn’t need the financial aid since the contracts he has signed through his NFL career have been worth more than $100 million.

Mack has been noted this year for his perspiration and his odd helmet.

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Cover photo of Alex Mack leaving the field after the loss to the Rams is by Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports

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Jake Curtis
JAKE CURTIS

Jake Curtis worked in the San Francisco Chronicle sports department for 27 years, covering virtually every sport, including numerous Final Fours, several college football national championship games, an NBA Finals, world championship boxing matches and a World Cup. He was a Cal beat writer for many of those years, and won awards for his feature stories.

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