Brock Purdy calls DeForest Buckner “the man,” Nick Bosa says “it’s like he’s never left,” and Christian McCaffrey says adding that kind of talent “gives you a boost of energy.” The San Francisco 49ers are back at work after their bye with Buckner in the building and a Week 9 home game against the Las Vegas Raiders on the calendar.
Kickoff is Sunday, November 8, at 4:25 p.m. ET at Levi’s Stadium, which is 11:25 p.m. in Cairo. Kyle Shanahan already said Buckner’s return was “really awesome.” On Wednesday and Thursday, the players who will share a locker room with him put their own words on it.
Purdy: “Everybody knows what he can do”
Purdy had never been teammates with Buckner before the trade from Indianapolis, but he said the stories around the building matched what he saw when they finally met. “He’s the man,” Purdy said. “George had told me all about him ahead of time. Obviously, George is funny with people and relationships, but he was spot on with this one, with DeForest. Obviously, really mature, just been around the block. A great teammate, great glue guy, and obviously what he brings to the field. Everybody knows what he can do there. Extremely happy to have him in the locker room and with our team.”
He had studied Buckner on film when San Francisco faced the Colts. “It was cool sort of studying him back then and now knowing he’s on our team and what a problem he is on the field,” Purdy said. “Really excited to have him.” Asked about Buckner’s length in the pocket, he said a quarterback has to trust the offensive line and throw around big defensive tackles. “To have him out there, you could definitely feel his presence, so I’m excited for him to go out there on Sunday, line up with the boys and create some chaos.”
Purdy also said Kyle Shanahan introduced Buckner as someone who still belonged. “Even though he left, he’s always sort of been here kind of thing,” Purdy said. “So, really excited, like I said, to get to know him, play with him and hopefully go and create some history together.”
Bosa, Warner and McCaffrey: energy and a second chance
Bosa, who played only one season with Buckner before the 2020 trade, framed the reunion as a full-circle moment. “It’s like he’s never left when he came in here,” Bosa said. He also joked with Shanahan about getting Buckner back and said the fact it actually happened feels full-circle: “The last game I played with him was the Super Bowl. And it feels like my rookie year was more than one year of my career, just because of how impactful it was on me.”
Warner, who arrived as a rookie in 2018 while Buckner was still in San Francisco, put it in personal terms. “When I came in as a rookie, he was everything we were looking for as a 49er,” Warner said. “I learned so much from him early on. It’s rare that you get a second opportunity to come home.”
McCaffrey never overlapped with Buckner’s first stint, but he said the addition still changed the feel of the week. “Whenever you’re adding talent like that, it gives you a boost of energy,” McCaffrey said. “It’s awesome. Just even in the walkthrough today, you look out there; you got Bosa, you got him out there and all these others, you’re like, ‘OK.’ Definitely gives you a little boost of confidence. So, I’m pumped he’s on our team.” He added that meeting Buckner confirmed the reputation: “You meet him and talk to him, and you’re like, ‘OK, I get why people talk about him as highly as they do.’”
Raiders week, with Buckner in the fold
The 49ers are 6-1 and coming off their first loss of the season at Atlanta. Buckner practiced with the group as Bosa worked his way back from a calf injury, and Purdy said the defensive tackle’s presence is already hard to miss. For a roster that also faces Brandon Aiyuk’s Friday report and a trade deadline on November 10, the players’ message this week was simpler: Buckner is back, the locker room feels it, and Sunday against the Raiders is the next chance to put it on the field.
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