Tag: mitch wishnowsky

49ers punter Mitch Wishnowsky punts ball out of Giants’ Oracle Park in San Francisco

The Giants celebrated the home opener in San Francisco with the help of Mitch Wishnowsky and other members of the 49ers.

After seven games on the road, the San Francisco Giants finally returned to the Bay Area for their first game of the season at Oracle Park. To help celebrate the home opener Friday, the Giants welcomed a few members of the San Franciso 49ers to Willie Mays Plaza.

Wide receiver Deebo Samuel and linebacker Fred Warner stepped to the mound for traditional first pitches before the Giants hosted the San Diego Padres. However, the Giants had something special in mind for 49ers punter Mitch Wishnowsky.

Wishnowsky marked the Giants home opener with a ceremonial “first punt.” The 49ers punter launched a football from right field into the water of McCovey Cove.

Via @NBCSGiants on Twitter:

First pitches and punts from the 49ers helped serve the Giants luck on Friday as they registered a walk-off 3-2 win over the Padres.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

More than any other in history, Super Bowl LVIII was about special teams

More than any other Super Bowl in history, Super Bowl LVIII was defined by two dominant, record-setting special teams units.

LAS VEGAS — When a Super Bowl ends, the temptation is to put a neat little bow on the whole thing. But when a Super Bowl is as uncertain and messy as Super Bowl LVIII was, it’s tougher to find the dominance that mattered in the end. The San Francisco 49ers’ defense, especially its defensive line, was about as good as any could be, but in the end, it wasn’t enough to contain Patrick Mahomes as the Kansas City Chiefs became the first team since the 2003-04 New England Patriots to repeat as Super Bowl champs.

Not that the Chiefs were anything special on offense. Mahomes was better in the stat sheet than he was on the field — 34 of 46 for 333 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 99.3. Beyond his frantic final drive to win the game 25-22 in overtime… well, there were issues.

Kansas City’s defense was equal to the 49ers’ challenge, limiting San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy to 23 completions in 38 attempts for 255 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 89.3. Receiver Jauan Jennings was the best passer on the day, completing one pass on one attempt for a 21-yard touchdown to running back Christian McCaffrey.

So, it was a weird game without an obvious winner… except for two. The special teams units of the Chiefs and 49ers. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, here were all the Super Bowl records set in this game:

  • Most Field Goals Made, Career – 9, Harrison Butker
  • Longest Field Goal Made – 57, Harrison Butker
  • Most 50-Yard Field Goals Made, Game – 2, Jake Moody
  • Highest Average Punting, Game – 50.8, Tommy Townsend & Mitch Wishnowsky
  • Most Fumbles Recovered, Career – 4, Patrick Mahomes
  • Most Field Goals Made, Both Teams – 7, Kansas City (4) vs. San Francisco (3)
  • Highest Average Punting, Team – 50.8, Kansas City & San Francisco
  • Fewest Kickoff Returns, Both Teams – 0, Kansas City vs. San Francisco
  • Fewest Kickoff Return Yards, Both Teams – 0, Kansas City vs. San Francisco

And here were all the records tied in this game:

  • Most Field Goals Attempted, Career – 10, Harrison Butker
  • Most Field Goals Made, Game – 4, Harrison Butker
  • Most Fumbles, Career – 5, Patrick Mahomes
  • Most Consecutive Games Won – 2, Kansas City
  • Most Points Overtime Period, Team – 6, Kansas City
  • Most Field Goals Attempted, Both Teams – 7, Kansas City (4) vs. San Francisco (3)
  • Most Field Goals Made, Team – 4, Kansas City
  • Fewest Rushing Touchdowns, Both Teams – 0, Kansas City vs. San Francisco
  • Fewest Kickoff Returns, Team – 0, Kansas City & San Francisco
  • Fewest Kickoff Returns Yards, Team – 0, Kansas City & San Francisco

The common thread, for the most part? Special teams on both sides. 49ers kicker Jake Moody set a Super Bowl record with a 55-yard field goal with 14:48 left in the first half, and he held that record for less than two game quarters, as Harrison Butker outdid him with a 57-yarder with 5:01 left in the third quarter.

So, when the defenses were spinning, and the offenses were sputtering, it was really the special teams that stood out more than just about anything else — and for the Chiefs, it really helped to win the day.

Who woulda thunk it?

Kyle Shanahan didn’t call fake punt on negated Mitch Wishnowsky run

Did Kyle Shanahan call his first fake punt as a head coach?

It looked like 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan called his first special teams fake as a head coach. Early in the third quarter punter Mitch Wishnowsky took a snap, started to kick, then tucked and ran around the right edge for a 30-yard gain and a first down. Not only was the play negated by an illegal block call on wide receiver Ronnie Bell, it was also not Shanahan’s call.

Shanahan after the game in his press conference joked that he made the call because of his foresight on Seattle’s punt coverage.

“I just knew that it would work good right there,” Shanahan deadpanned. “So I just called my first fake punt.”

It didn’t take long after saying that for a wry smile to crack the head coach’s face.

“I don’t really know what happened on it,” Shanahan confessed. “I think he just hesitated a little bit. I haven’t gotten to talk to him personally. I don’t know if he thought it was going to get blocked, or if he bobbled the snap a hair, or if he just had a glitch, but it was a good one. Because when he paused and stuff and saw the edge, it was obviously a clean look and he didn’t hesitate for it. And I was just told he hit over 20 miles per hour on it, so, that’s real cool.”

Alas, Shanahan has still yet to call a special teams fake as a head coach. Now that he’s seen how his punter moves in that spot though he may be more inclined to give it a shot at some point.

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Updated 49ers MVP rankings: Can anyone catch Christian McCaffrey?

Can anyone catch Christian McCaffrey in the #49ers team MVP race?

It’s pretty clear who the 49ers’ team MVP is through four weeks. An argument for anyone other than running back Christian McCaffrey would require bent logic and mental gymnastics that we’re neither capable nor willing to participate in.

The question heading into Week 5 is whether anyone on the 49ers’ extremely talented roster can even catch McCaffrey.

Here’s what our 49ers team MVP rankings look like through four weeks, with a clear-cut No. 1, and then a handful of others who are playing well and making an impact on winning:

49ers P Mitch Wishnowsky activated off NFI list

Mitch Wishnowsky’s back injury only cost him one day of camp. He’s been activated from the NFI list.

The 49ers on Thursday got good news on punter Mitch Wishnowsky. He passed a physical and was activated from the non-football injury list according to NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco.

Wishnowsky began camp on the NFI after hurting his back while lifting weights away from the team facility. General manager John Lynch indicated the injury wasn’t something the team thought would be a long-term issue, and it wound up only costing Wishnowsky one day of camp.

The veteran punter was one of four players to miss the opening day of training camp, along with quarterback Brock Purdy, defensive end Nick Bosa and cornerback Darrell Luter.

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No surprise: 4 49ers out of 1st training camp practice

These 4 #49ers missed the team’s first practice of training camp:

The 49ers on Wednesday began their on-field preparations for the 2023 season without four players, although there weren’t any surprises among the absences.

Quarterback Brock Purdy missed Wednesday’s session as part of his new throwing schedule. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said he’ll be on a truncated practice program for the first couple weeks of camp while he continues rehabbing from offseason surgery on his throwing elbow.

Defensive end Nick Bosa is holding out while he continues negotiating his long-term extension. The team officially placed him on the reserve/did not report list Wednesday according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero. Bosa isn’t expected to take the field until he has a new deal in place.

Punter Mitch Wishnowsky was out while he nurses a back injury that landed him on the non-football injury list. 49ers general manager John Lynch on Tuesday told reporters the team isn’t going to add another punter because they’re not concerned about his status long-term.

The final player out of Wednesday’s session was rookie cornerback Darrell Luter Jr., who was placed on the PUP list with a knee injury. Lynch said Luter has a bone bruise after hyperextending his knee late in the team’s offseason program.

With the 49ers still easing into camp, Christian McCaffrey sat out of team drills. Head coach Kyle Shanahan after practice indicated the day off for the star RB was scheduled and part of a plan to get McCaffrey to the regular season healthy.

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49ers P Mitch Wishnowsky on NFI list after back injury

Mitch Wishnowsky is dealing with a back injury and will be on the NFI list to start camp. The #49ers aren’t concerned about the punter long-term.

The 49ers will begin training camp without punter Mitch Wishnowsky, who is being placed on the non-football injury list with a back injury.

General manager John Lynch on Tuesday said Wishnowsky injured his back while lifting weights away from the team facility.

Because he didn’t suffer the injury at the facility it’s considered a non-football injury which is why he’s designated for the NFI and not he PUP, though the rules for both are largely the same.

Lynch said the team won’t be trying to find a replacement for Wishnowsky while he’s out.

“No, we don’t with Mitch,” Lynch said. “It’s nothing we’re concerned about long-term, but with a back you want those things to quiet down. If you don’t they become chronic. So we want to put that to rest.”

Wishnowsky has been very good for the 49ers since they selected him in the fourth round of the 2019 draft. Last season he inked a four-year extension to stay in San Francisco. He averaged 43.8 yards per kick and finished fourth in the NFL with 38 of his kicks pinning the opposition inside their own 20.

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49ers 1st highlight vs Cardinals is a punt

The #49ers punt team generated a highlight.

A good indicator of how Monday night’s game is going for the 49ers is that their first highlight of the contest was created by their punt team. Punter Mitch Wishnowsky and safety Tarvarius Moore nearly downed the Cardinals inside the 5 on their first punt. The second time Wishnowsky and cornerback Samuel Womack had more success and the 49ers pinned the Cardinals at their own 4.

49ers P Mitch Wishnowsky is NFC Special Teams Player of the Month

49ers punter Mitch Wishnowsky is earning the heck out of his contract extension.

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What a month for Mitch Wishnowsky, huh? The 49ers’ 2019 fourth-round pick earned a contract extension before Week 2, and after an excellent performance in Denver in Week 3 he was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month.

Wishnowsky has once again become a field position weapon for the 49ers, something he’s become reliable for during his three-plus seasons in the NFL.

The 30-year-old punter had 14 kicks in the month of September. Eight of them pinned the opposing team inside its own 20. Only two of them were returned for a grand total of six yards.

Kicks inside the 20 that returners don’t have time to make plays on are the ideal punts, and Wishnowsky delivers a lot of them.

Of all the players that got contract extensions, it’s hard to argue anyone has earned theirs more so far this season than the 49ers’ punter.

49ers sign P Mitch Wishnowsky to 4-year extension

A Mitch Wishnowsky extension! #49ers

The first domino has fallen for the 49ers special teams trio of Robbie Gould, Mitch Wishnowsky and Taybor Pepper. All three were due to hit free agency after the 2022 season, but the 49ers on Friday announced Wishnowsky inked a four-year deal to stay with the club through the 2026 season.

Wishnowsky, 30, was a fourth-round pick of the 49ers in 2019 and on the final year of his rookie deal. While the booming yardage may not be there, he’s an excellent directional punter who gets a ton of hangtime, making it difficult for punt returners to run his kicks back.

He planted three of his four punts inside the 20 in the 49ers’ season opener in Chicago, and only one of his four punts was returned. Last season his 29 punts inside the 20 tied for the 10th in the NFL, and his 32.4 percent return rate was the second-lowest in the NFL.

In 2020 he was 11th in kicks inside the 20 and seventh in return percentage after finishing in the middle of the pack in both as a rookie. His improvement over his three-plus seasons earned him another four-year deal. Now the 49ers have decisions to make with the rest of their specialists.

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