Why the 49ers Special Teams are So Bad
The 49ers have one of the most talented teams in the NFL.
They arguably have five of the 30 best players -- Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Trent Williams, Fred Warner and Nick Bosa. They're strong on offense and defense. But they're special teams are so bad, they occasionally have cost the 49ers games this season.
Just how bad are the 49ers special teams?
They have three kick returners who have fumbled: JaMycal Hasty, Travis Benjamin and Trenton Cannon.
They have one punt returner, Brandon Aiyuk, who hesitates and then runs sideways. His signature move is to signal for a fair catch, let the ball bounce, pick it up anyway, stand still and then run out of bounds.
They have a punt coverage unit that gave up a touchdown on a fake punt two weeks ago in Seattle.
They have a kickoff coverage unit that routinely gives up returns past the 30-yard line.
They have a kickoff specialist, Mitch Wishnowsky, who struggles to kick the ball into the end zone. Which means he isn't really a specialist -- he's a liability.
They have a punter -- also Wishnowsky -- who had a 39-yard punt against the Falcons and a 29-yard punt the week before against the Bengals.
They have a highly-paid kicker, Robbie Gould, who has missed 7 of his past 12 kicks from more than 50 yards away, plus he missed a potential game-winning 48-yard field goal last week in Cincinnati.
And to top it all off, the 49ers have a special teams coordinator, Richard Hightower, who seems to have no ability to fix anything.
It would be a real shame if special teams were to ruin the 49ers' season. Special teams aren't supposed to matter.
