Washington Vs. Niners: Reunion Of Rivals

Sports reunions can be awesome or awkward; It depends on the situation. On Sunday a very important game for both Washington and the Niners stands in the way of hugs and fond memories

ASHBURN, Va. - The Washington Football Team's meeting today against the San Francisco 49ers is about trying to improve playoff chances ... and about many players and coaches going up against their former teams.

For the 49ers, Kyle Shanahan and several members of his coaching staff will try to hand their former employers a big conference loss and gain the advantage in a potential wild-card battle between the two teams.

READ MORE: Kyle Shanahan on Closure in Washington

Washington already has lost a head-to-head with Arizona, which is on the outside looking in at (6-6). Washington also would lose a tie-breaker to Detroit (5-7) and if they lose to the 49ers, that would be a near death blow in terms of losing almost every potential tie-breaker scenario to teams that are chasing the final wild card spot.

It's also Trent Williams and Jordan Reed's first crack at their former team. Coach Ron Rivera and the new WFT brass decided to walk away from both players to start 2020.

They released Reed and traded Williams when he refused to play on the final year of his deal, as he is currently doing under Shanahan and friends.

"I won't sit here and hold grudges for no reason," Williams said earlier this week. He clearly had a problem with both Bruce Allen and Larry Hess, without naming them. "The people I had an issue with, they're not there."

Williams, the first draft pick of the Mike Shanahan and Allen era, sat out the first half of 2019 before returning to try and gain contractual credit towards free agency and to recoup some money. Allen and the organization shut that down but there seemed to be some momentum for a return under new coach Ron Rivera.

That did not go well, however, when Williams refused to play things out for the final year of his deal under Rivera.

READ MORE: Trent Williams Traded to the 49ers

Reed left Washington under different circumstances. The new staff realized  that he still had talent, but believed he could not stay healthy, so they let him go.

Sure enough, Reed has flashed when he's played but suffered a injury that cost him a few games earlier this year.

READ MORE: Jordan Reed Lands With Kyle & the 49ers

Shanahan, who drafted Reed in Washington in 2013, only got to work with him for one disastrous year but signed him this past summer to be George Kittle's backup/complimentary weapon.

Said Shanahan: “I was such a big fan of Jordan coming out. ... I was so impressed with him in the small amount of time I spent with him.

"I kept saying he was going to be our Andre Iguodala this year where we were going to bring him off the bench in Week 10 and everything and we were going to make our run. Losing Kittle Week 1 put a little more pressure on Jordan early, so we got him in there earlier Week 2 and Week 3 than he had planned on. Then he ended up getting a pretty bad injury, so we missed him for the next six weeks or so.

"The guy that has been here as a person and player, that’s what I envisioned. I’ve been very happy to have him here.”

Shanahan was also asked by Washington Football on SI.com about the members of his coaching staff that have followed him from Washington to Cleveland, onto Atlanta and finally to the 49ers.

“You watch the trend with most coaches,'' he said. "They always try to bring people with them. When you coach in this league or you play a position in this league, your success is so much determined on the people around you.

"(It's) not only because you want to take care of them, but because they know exactly what you want. They’re going to help you implement things the fastest and they’re going to help you coach the best and help your team the best. ... It was awesome that a number of them came with me.”

Shanahan was referring to Bobby Turner (running backs), running game coordinator Mike McDaniel, special-teams coordinator Richard Hightower, tight ends and assistant head coach Jon Embree, assistant offensive line coach Chris Foerster, quarterbacks coach Shane Day and offensive assistant Bobby Slowik Jr. 

Oh and then there's Alex Smith, going against the organization that drafted him No. 1 overall back in 2005. Smith was unceremoniously dumped for Colin Kaepernick and traded to Kansas City in 2013. 

Memories are fun when your career is done and your legacy is being written. Reunions are fun. But today is more about rivalries, and about one key thing: The playoffs - and taking a giant step in that direction.