Donte Whitner believes 49ers were dealt a bad hand during Super Bowl

Originally posted on 49ers Webzone | By David Bonilla | Last updated 4/9/24

One former San Francisco 49ers player is making his opinion of Super Bowl 58 very clear. He believes his former team was dealt a bad hand in the matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas two months ago.

Former 49ers safety Donte Whitner, appearing this week on the "Up & Adam" show with Kay Adams, was vocal regarding the matchup and how certain circumstances seemed to favor the Chiefs.

"And when we think about the Super Bowl as well, I think that the 49ers played against the refs as well, guys," Whitner told Adams. "I think that when we look at that film and you see bear hugs on those defensive ends, right? And you really see it in blatant moments in the game."

Adams couldn't help but laugh at Whitner's comments, and the former player has drawn criticism on social media from NFL fans for his opinion.

Whitner added, "The 49ers played against Taylor Swift, the refs, and the Kansas City Chiefs. All three."

"When we think about the Super Bowl... the 49ers played against the refs as well."
3x Pro Bowl Safety @DonteWhitner says the #49ers weren't just battling the #Chiefs in SB LVIII @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/h6Ap9QnFfx
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) April 9, 2024

Of course, no amount of complaining about the circumstances will change the outcome of the game. Kyle Shanahan lost his second Super Bowl appearance since becoming the head coach of the 49ers and his third while coaching in the NFL.

There was a little controversy heading into the big game. The practice fields provided to them by the NFL weren't up to the 49ers' standards. While NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell labeled the field "playable," NFLPA Executive Director Lloyd Howell declared that it "isn't nearly up to snuff with what our players deserve."

"We'll deal with what we've got, and we're good," Shanahan told reporters during the week leading to the Super Bowl.

After a week of practice on those fields, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and defensive backs coach Daniel Bullocks suffered non-contact torn Achilles injuries during the game.

Last month, when asked about the unusual injuries and whether there was any contributing factor, Shanahan smiled and stated, "Nothing I want to get into," before acknowledging his frustration.

Whitner currently serves as an analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area.

This article first appeared on 49ers Webzone and was syndicated with permission.

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