MIAMI, Fla. - The narrative of the week for Super Bowl LIV has been the speed of the Kansas City Chiefs and that's just fine with the 49ers, they've been underdogs all season.
From analysts predicting they would only win three games this season, to calling them pretenders and then doubting them through the post season, the 49ers have gotten used to hearing the same outside noise.
When Richard Sherman was asked about the lack of acknowledgement regarding the 49ers' physicality, he let out a long "Shhhhhh," not wanting to let the secret out that the 49ers have their own attributes.
"We're just not very fast so we're just going to leave it there," Sherman said. "We're just hoping and praying that we're able to show it."
From the defensive line to the wide receiver and skill players, the 49ers pack a punch. It doesn't matter the size of the player, they have shown that they will go head-to-head with anyone. Even quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo recorded his first career pancake block during the regular season.
One of the most physical players on the team, tight end George Kittle, beamed with pride when describing his teammate's determination in overpowering opponents on the field.
"I think what we've done a good job at all year, offense, defense and special teams, is we have gone out there and we have hit people in the face," Kittle said. "We want to be a violent and physical team. As an offense we come off the ball and we hit people.
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"Our wide receivers are cracking on safeties and corners and when your wide receivers are physical you have a physical team. And our defense is an absolute monster from K'Waun Williams to RIchard Sherman to Nick Bosa. There are a lot of guys out there that are going to take your head off."
Bosa believes the team's violent nature on the field has been an underrated attribute. Before being drafted by the 49ers, he hadn't realized how important a wide receiver's power is in the run game.
"We take being physical very, very seriously," Bosa said. "A lot of teams are finesse in the NFL and I think you can expose them with physical play."
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After playing against the 49ers' defense in practice during training camp, Kittle could sense the development of the power on the opposite side of the ball. It made the tight end up his own game.
"As an offense when you feel that you're kind of like, you got to bring or else you're going to get hit pretty hard," Kittle said. "It's a game changer. Even Mitch [Wishnowsky] our kicker, laid a guy out in a preseason game. That's incredible. We're still waiting on Robbie Gould to hit someone but we'll wait on it."
