Levi’s Stadium Strikes Gold
San Francisco 49ers off to a perfect start with a roaring 4-0 record
Santa Clara may not have a football team anymore, but one of the best National Football League (NFL) teams plays right in our backyard.
The San Francisco 49ers are off to an incredible 4-0 start to the 2019 season, and after attending Monday night’s victory over the Cleveland Browns, I witnessed how electric this team can be through the eyes of Press Box Service Announcer Matt Crevin.
“The energy is finally now starting to come around to Levi’s Stadium, especially tonight after this win,” Crevin said. “You can actually hear it and feel it when you walk in.”
Being my first NFL game ever, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. Major League Baseball (MLB) games are much more relaxed–and now that attendance during MLB’s regular season has dropped by 1 million fans, the atmosphere seems less lively.
And frankly, the rise of social media has caused shorter attention spans in fans across all sports. In a world with so many sports options across so many screens, sports fans of all ages are clicking away from low-stake or lopsided games, therefore making it even harder for sporting events to attract an engaged audience.
But not on Monday night, and not for the 49ers.
When I walked through the parking lot toward the entrance to Levi’s Stadium, I felt the electricity radiating from every direction. The crowd was buzzing (possibly from the cold Coors Lights), and fans in red and gold were screaming for San Francisco, which dominated this game from the kickoff.
The 49ers dominated because of their rushing work. They recorded 275 rushing yards from unstoppable running backs Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman. On San Francisco’s first offensive play of the game, Breida ripped an 83-yard touchdown run. Breida finished with 114 yards, while Coleman ran for 97 and scored his first touchdown with the 49ers. They threatened to become the first pair of 49ers to run for 100 yards in the same game since Frank Gore (158) and Colin Kaepernick (151) against the San Diego Chargers on Dec. 20, 2014.
San Francisco’s defense was also unbeatable, holding Baker Mayfield to completing only 8 of 22 for 100 yards with two interceptions and two fumbles.
Their first round pick, Nick Bosa, was another highlight of the night. The rookie put up two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery—becoming the first 49ers player in 25 years to do so, according to ESPN. He pressured Mayfield all game long and especially showcased his talent with five quarterback hits to finish off a stellar performance.
Even though the 49ers are still the only other team besides the New England Patriots who are undefeated, it seems that they understand how early it is in the season. There is a long way to go before major predictions about SuperBowl contenders can be made. But three out of four future opponents they play missed the playoffs last season, so the 49ers could continue their hot start by simply getting hotter. Momentum is certainly building in the San Francisco fanbase, especially for an undefeated team.
Winning always is much more fun than losing, and when a team is winning, the crowds get larger and the fans get louder. When asked about the San Francisco fanbase and how they affect this organization, Crevin answered enthusiastically.
“For a while there wasn’t really a soul here [in San Francisco’s fanbase],” he said. “There wasn’t much winning, which meant there wasn’t much energy. But since the opening of Levi’s Stadium in 2014–and especially beginning this season with a perfect record, this fanbase is starting to feel the energy. And that creates opportunities to play better football.”
Crevin has been working for the 49ers for 27 years and is so connected to this community that he commutes from Seattle to the Bay Area every home game. He says nothing beats the opportunity to announce a live scripted event, especially for a team as special and rich in history as San Francisco’s.
The Niners will travel to Los Angeles on Sunday to play the two-time defending National Football Conference West division champion the Rams, arguably the 49ers’ toughest opponent yet. With that in mind, everyone on staff is reminded to stay focused on the fact that there is still a lot of football to play.
“It’s exciting to be undefeated but at the same time it’s very early in the season,” Crevin said. “As the players like to say, ‘Nothing else is guaranteed except the 4 games we’ve played.’ That being said, it’s great to have some positive momentum this early!”
"You don't pay attention, and you just go to work," he said in an interview with ABC News. “Every week is a tough week, and we've got a lot of work to do. Still got some guys who are waiting to get back from injury, and that game by no means was perfect."
Contact Lacey Yahnke at lyahnke@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.