Looking back at the year that was

The best, worst, most unconventional of 49ers’ memorable 2020 season

- Craig Massei

Well, now, that was quite a doozy. The 49ers just got through entertaining us for five full months of thrilling, quality football during one of the all-time most memorable and exotic seasons in franchise history. To commemorate and illustrate an over-the-top season that had a little bit of everything, we bring you the best, worst and most unconventional of the most special 49ers season so far in the 21st century.

Best slip and slide

We start off our annual awards appropriately with a prominent new 49er named Nick Bosa, who had a little fun in mind after sacking Washington quarterback Case Keenum on the final play of San Francisco’s shutout victory in Week 7. Bosa ran with glee toward the sidelines and dove head-first onto his chest on the slick field, sliding in celebration into the quagmire that had become FedExField during a torrential downpour. Several 49ers defenders followed Bosa to the turf, and there you had it after San Francisco’s 9-0 win: A surging San Francisco defense that truly was ready to get down and dirty.

Best collaboration of first-rounders

The investment the 49ers have made in their defensive line may be the No. 1 reason for the team’s remarkable climb to powerhouse status in 2019 after a four-win season. The 49ers have five first-round draft picks on that unit — four of them homegrown — and those five players combined for 35 sacks in the regular season and several more in the postseason. Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner, Solomon Thomas and Dee Ford each had at least one sack in San Francisco’s playoff opener against Minnesota — the first time in NFL history a team had five first-rounders all record sacks in a playoff game.

Best use of extra time