49ers S Talanoa Hufanga ready to make long-awaited return Sunday; Calls All-Pro 2022 season ‘mediocre’

The lead-up to Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season for the 49ers hits a little different this time around. And that can only mean one thing: Talanoa Hufanga is back.

The San Francisco 49ers former All-Pro safety is gearing up for his long-anticipated return to gameday, with his sights set on Week 3 in Los Angeles against the Rams. It’s been almost ten months since that fateful night at Levi’s Stadium last November. Hufanga was backpedalling in coverage Week 11 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, looking to close in on a tackle of running back Rachaad White. When he planted to stop White in his tracks, his right knee gave out, causing him to slip to the turf.

That was all she wrote, with the promising third-year safety on ice for the rest of the 2023 season.

Now almost a year removed from it all, the Oregon native is eager as ever to be back with the 49ers doing what he loves most.

“I’m just super excited, so blessed,” Talanoa Hufanga said Thursday. “First and foremost, just all praise to the guys that got my back on the field. Got a great team, support and great staff that’s really helped me through a lot of this process.”

It didn’t come easy though, a lot of long, hard looks in the mirror occurred for him over the course of recovery. The main one was his play.

“For myself, I’ve got to be better for this team.”

Hufanga calls his 2022 All-Pro season “mediocre” 😲 pic.twitter.com/BJbBXwfbSg

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) September 19, 2024

Despite knocking on the door of stardom in 2022, Hufanga wasn’t satisfied with his play. While he made his first All-Pro selection in his first year as a starter, racking up a whopping 97 combined tackles, it wasn’t to his expectations. Because while the stats said one thing, the tape told him a different story, nit-picking at every little nuance possible.

How 49ers of him to set the standard higher than the average at his position.

“It’s actually funny because I look back to my second year, All Pro. But to me, it was really mediocre,” he stated to the surprise of many in the media scrum. “I really like to look at it that way. And I got to criticize myself to the standard. And so for myself, I got to be better for this team. I got to be more communicative. If I can make a play for [49ers S Ji’Ayir Brown], if I can make a play for [49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir], guys that are set up my locker, I’ll do it.”

But the question now is: How much better can Talanoa Hufanga get? Or, expect to be coming off a major injury?

Most in the 49ers organization describe superstar running back Christian McCaffrey has obsessive, almost OCD when it comes to the game of football. Even run-game coordinator Chris Foerster added on by saying McCaffrey is “high-anxiety”, a rare trait for über-talented football players.

While no one prepares for the game of football like CMC, Hufanga seemingly shares a similar characteristic that all of the great 49ers possess today: Work ethic; Never settling at the game of football.

And you can hear it when he talks shop.

“Even plays that I had made. It’s like, how can I be better on those? Why’d it take me three times to see the same play?” the safety explained. “And it happens across the league, I’m not saying I’m the only person. But, I like to hold myself to that standard. If I seen the play twice already, why’d it take me the third time [to make a play]?

“And so that’s part of us learning and growing and coming together as a defense to be the best we can be.”

“It’s dope to see, something we’ve been waiting on.”

Ji’Ayir Brown is pumped to have Talanoa Hufanga out on the field with him as the former #49ers All-Pro hopes to get his first start this season. #FTTB pic.twitter.com/ow0bXT30Sl

— Matt Lively (@mattblively) September 19, 2024

So instead of sitting around and waiting for his knee to gain full strength, Hufanga attacked the game of football from an intellectual standpoint. That started with intensive film study, picking apart his game and the coverages he sees on a daily basis, both from an defensive and offensive standpoint.

But you can only learn so much on your own. Luckily, the 49ers have a few former greats in the building, including general manager John Lynch.

During training camp, Hufanga stood alongside the Hall-of-fame safety watching practice unfold. The two would do so more long stretches, causally making remarks back and forth as they deciphered what their eyes showed them.

Picking Lynch’s brain not only helped him see things in a different light, but also helped him decode offenses as well. And yes, he also did the same with Kyle Shanahan, learning the ins-and-outs of plays from the other side of the line of scrimmage.

This didn’t start while Talanoa Hufanga was sidelined though. The notion of improving his football IQ began over a year ago when Lynch broached him on the subject.

“It’s crazy because I remember talking to him last year, and this is before I got injured. And a lot of it was my eyes. Like, how can we detail out my eyes?” Hufanga explained. “He believes in me, he gives me the ability to go out there and play instinctually. So, a lot of it was like, what are we seeing with my eyes when we’re back there watching together?

“A lot of you guys probably saw me, I’m standing next to him, just like, ‘Where are your eyes? What are we doing on this play? How would you attack it if you were on offense?’ And I got to the watch [with Kyle Shanahan], right next to him, and seeing where they’re trying to attack [the defense]. Those are the things that you pick up, you learn and try to put into our game and make our defense better.”

On top of that, the USC product has spent time with the scout team during his ramp-up to a return. That means going against some of the 49ers’ top offensive weapons, including tight end George Kittle.

Couple all that together, and it’s no surprise that both the player and the coaching staff feel he’s ready to make an instant impact upon his return.

“It’s like he hasn’t missed a beat,” 49ers’ defensive coordinator said about Hufanga Thursday.

Sorensen on how Hufanga’s mental reps have helped him prepare for his return to the field 🧠 pic.twitter.com/le6uoQYq46

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) September 19, 2024

But again, it’s never come easy for Talanoa Hufanga.

There were times during his recovery that were trying, with the most humbling moment being the sight of his new-born daughter taking her first steps before he could. That, along with missing out on playing in his first Super Bowl, ignited more of the flame to make a full recovery as soon as possible.

However, patience is a virtue, something the safety understood and has carried with him through each grueling process of the recovery.

“If I’m being truthful, I took it hour-by-hour. It changes every day, and that’s something I learned. Early on [in the recovery], my daughter was walking before I was, so that puts it in perspective and how you got to humble yourself in that sense. And truly, I mean it by the bottom of my heart, I took it hour-by-hour. I’m here, I’m excited, and hopefully my number is called,” he said.

Loading … 😤 pic.twitter.com/CdLEvaAB0m

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) September 19, 2024

And after 10 long months, it appears his number will be called on Sunday. It’ll come with some stipulations though, as Lynch pointed to a snap count for Talanoa Hufanga in his first game back.

It’s a process however, with the former All-Pro and the 49ers understanding that the long-term goal is the biggest priority for all. Patience is a virtue, and at least for now, Hufanga has earned the right to resume his football career in a limited capacity.

But expect that to change in the not-so-distant future; You can only keep a tiger caged for so long.

“Yeah that is the expectation. He’s had a good week of practice. He came up to me on the sidelines in Minnesota and said ‘this is the last one’ so he’s had a great week of practice and we expect to see him flying around out there on Sunday,” Shanahan stated.

Talanoa Hufanga & The San Francisco 49ers 2024 Schedule:

Regular Season

• Sunday, September 22nd – @ Los Angeles Rams – 1:25 pm PDT
• Sunday, September 29th vs. New England Patriots – 1:05 pm PDT
• Sunday, October 6th vs. Arizona Cardinals – 1:05 pm PDT
• Thursday, October 10th @ Seattle Seahawks [TNF] – 5:15 pm PDT
• Sunday, October 20th vs. Kansas City Chiefs [SB LVIII Rematch]– 1:25 pm PDT

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