Observations of the 49ers at Their Final Pro Bowl Practice

Relaxed enjoyment was the theme for the 49ers Saturday at their final Pro Bowl practice.

Practice No. 3 is in the books for the Pro Bowl.

Or rather, it should be called recess considering all the shenanigans that were ongoing for both the AFC and NFC practices. 

I can't say I blame these players and coaches. This isn't a game that is meant to be serious. Rather it is a game of celebration for the season and to just have fun. 

In the case of the players from the San Francisco 49ers, the Pro Bowl is being used to get away from the strenuous season. Given the way it ended in heartbreak in the NFC Championship to the Rams, it makes sense why they like to be around their peers and live it up in Las Vegas. Being in the Pro Bowl is an honor after all.

Here are some of my observations of the 49ers at their final Pro Bowl practice.

For starters, not all of the 49ers who were named to the Pro Bowl are here. Nick Bosa opted out, although he's in Vegas partying with the rest of the 49ers, while Trent Williams is nursing a high ankle sprain. The 49ers players at the Pro Bowl are George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Kyle Juszczyk, Laken Tomlinson, and Alex Mack.

Watching them at practice Saturday, each of these players looked completely relaxed. They looked like they were enjoying themselves amongst other top-tier players with their families watching alongside. I'm sure the hour they were out on the field was pure ecstasy to them. I wasn't able to get them to expand on this as none of them were made available to media today.

But that ecstasy is what the 49ers were looking for and what Samuel cited was the reason he wanted to come to the Pro Bowl in the first place. 

"One of the main reasons I was going was to kind of take my mind off of what just happened yesterday and to just kind of clear my mind will at least help," said Samuel at the 49ers exit interviews. "It'll help clear my mind a bit just being around guys in the league."

The 49ers are clearly having fun and are putting their pain behind them. They are moving forward and it is the enjoyment of other stud players in the NFL along with their families that is putting them in a good place.