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49ers Lineman Apologizes After Calling Out Teammate for Bad Mistake on Key Super Bowl Play

Emotions were running high.

Tom Dierberger

49ers Lineman Apologizes After Calling Out Teammate for Bad Mistake on Key Super Bowl Play
49ers Lineman Apologizes After Calling Out Teammate for Bad Mistake on Key Super Bowl Play /
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The NFL can be an emotional roller coaster, especially when the stakes are so high on the sport’s biggest stage.

In the aftermath of the 49ers’ 25–22 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in Super Bowl LVIII, a couple of San Francisco offensive linemen engaged in a brief public spat over their team’s final offensive play.

On third-and-4 from Kansas City’s 9-yard line in overtime, Chiefs star defensive tackle undefined easily sprinted through the 49ers’ offensive line and forced quarterback Brock Purdy to throw the ball away.

The 49ers’ offense then settled for a field goal and could only watch as quarterback Patrick Mahomes steered Kansas City on the game-winning 13-play, 75-yard drive to deprive San Francisco of another Super Bowl win.

In an effort to defend one teammate’s role on that pivotal third-down play, right guard Jon Feliciano threw another under the bus. 

The blocking assignment was not the responsibility of right tackle Colton McKivitz. Instead, it was up to right guard Spencer Burford, who woke up Monday and saw the comments from his teammate on social media.

A few hours later, Feliciano expressed regret over his comments.

“Im sorry bro. I woke up hungover and being a b----. In trying to have ones back I hurt u. It’s f-Ed up and I apologize. You got nothing but greatness ahead of you. I’m sorry bro,” he replied.

Feliciano, who started seven regular-season games and all three of the 49ers’ playoff contests this season, will become an unrestricted free agent in March. 

Burford, a fourth-round pick by San Francisco in 2022, has two years remaining on his rookie contract.

All’s well that ends well. 

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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