PALM BEACH, Fla. — Kyle Juszczyk’s skillset is coveted by several head coaches in the NFL — including Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll and Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.
While attending the NFL Annual Meeting, the two head coaches spoke in an open session about their interest in the 49ers fullback during the brief time he tested the market as a free agent.
“He’s a very unique player,” Carroll said. “Almost an iconic player in that position of fullback. We saw him for years, he had a tremendous problem with what he offered because of all the things he can do.”
The former Seattle Seahawks coach spent several seasons in the NFC West attempting to gameplan against the versatile fullback, who has the ability to add wrinkles to Kyle Shanahan’s offensive scheme.
“I think it’s a great statement about Kyle figuring it out,” Carroll said. “How to utilize [Juszczyk] in the past year to be a threat and an issue and a problem in a really effective manner. He has shown the league that he’s really the guy that can do all of those things.”
Prior to his Juszczyk’s eight seasons in the Bay Area, the nine-time Pro Bowler spent four years with the Baltimore Ravens after being drafted out of Harvard as the No. 130 overall (fourth-round) pick. The talented fullback faced off with the Steelers, a team he reportedly visited with during free agency, twice a year as a member of the AFC North.
“Man, he is a multi-talented player,” Tomlin said. “We’ve competed against him a lot over the years, in multiple cities, his resume speaks for itself. He needs no endorsement from me.”
Juszczyk not only is known as a blocker and ball carrier, but as injuries ravaged the 49ers’ roster in 2024, the Ivy League product was an available option for kickoff returns on special teams.
The savvy veteran appeared in all 17 games for the 49ers in 2024 and has only missed seven contests since his 2017 arrival in the Bay Area. Juszczyk was on the field for 537, or 50 percent of the club’s offensive snaps last season recording 226 yards from scrimmage — 26 yards rushing and 200 receiving and two touchdowns.
On March 19, Juszczyk re-signed with the 49ers on a two-year deal worth $7.5 million after being released just eight days prior.
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