Total Pro Sports
The San Francisco 49ers lost much more than just a playoff game this weekend. They also lost one of their most beloved figures.
Former 49ers safety Terrance ‘Chet’ Brooks just passed away. The 60-year-old died after a long bout with cancer.
A former standout at Texas A&M, Brooks made it to the league as an 11th-round pick all the way back in 1988. He wound up winning multiple championships and becoming an instrumental piece on a Super Bowl-winning defense:
“Brooks won two Super Bowl rings and made two interceptions in the 1989 postseason, including a pick of John Elway in Super Bowl XXIV that Brooks returned 38 yards,” Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk reported. “Brooks earned All-Madden team honors in 1989, and he was inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. He went into the Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.”
Notably, that pick on Elway was one of three interceptions he logged in his career.
To say that the Niners deserve plenty of credit for what they accomplished this season would be a massive understatement. Kyle Shanahan did a lot with a little, overcoming another myriad of injuries to take this team to the playoffs.
That being said, that might not be sustainable for much longer. As great a head coach as he is, the Niners have had to deal with these injury issues for most of his tenure in charge of the team.
As such, even if it’s not his fault, the Niners might want to consider going in a different direction. He should land on his feet right away, and he’s definitely not to blame for most of the team’s issues. Then again, he may not want to be a part of a rebuilding project.
The Niners are aging and brittle. They have a myriad of talents, but that can only get you so far if they can’t stay on the field. Also, they don’t have that much cap space.
Losing George Kittle in the playoffs was yet another example of this. It just feels like they can’t catch a break, and that’s only going to get worse as their stars get older.
The Niners have a big decision to make in the offseason. And if they decide to be sellers, they could probably land at least five valuable draft picks for their stars.
