Super Bowl LVIII: Who should Falcons fans root for?
Falcons on the San Francisco 49ers
Next, the away team. Like the previous Chiefs-49ers Super Bowl, that is San Francisco. Led by former Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, the NFC representative in SB LVIII has a few more former Falcons players on it. If you wanted to see former Falcons players (and a coach) succeed, the San Francisco 49ers are one such team to root for. Here are a few players who traded Freddie Falcon for Sourdough Sam.
CB Isaiah Oliver
Isaiah Oliver played in Atlanta for five seasons after being drafted out of Colorado in the 2nd round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Playing in 62 career games in Atlanta, Oliver was a bright spot in an otherwise dull CB room (outside of AJ Terrell). Unfortunately, he accrued a lengthy medical sheet in a short time. Signed by the 49ers in the 2023 NFL offseason, Oliver now has a crack at obtaining his first-ever Super Bowl ring.
SAF Erik Harris
Initially signed by the New Orleans Saints before playing the next four years for the Raiders, Erik Harris played two seasons for Atlanta from 2021-2022, totaling 77 tackles, three tackles for loss, .5 sacks, and eight passes defended. After the culmination of two seasons playing for the Dirty Birds, Harris was scooped up and sent back out west to play for the San Fransico 49ers, where he has appeared in three games but not recorded any stats.
BONUS: CB Kendall Sheffield
The 111th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Kendall Sheffield had an immediate impact for the Atlanta Falcons. Despite being a fourth-round pick, Sheffield appeared in all sixteen games in the 2019-2020 NFL season with eleven starts. As a rookie, Sheffield totaled 46 tackles, one forced fumble, and three passes defended. After three years in Atlanta, he went to the Tennessee Titans in 2023, where he was traded midseason to the San Francisco 49ers, where he currently sits on the practice squad. In three games for the 49ers this season, he has one tackle for loss.
BONUS: HC Kyle Shanahan
The OC for the Atlanta Falcons during the 2015 and 2016 campaigns, Kyle Shanahan has been the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers since the 2017-2018 NFL season. Leading them to their second Super Bowl appearance (coincidentally also against the Kansas City Chiefs), Shanahan hopes to win his first Super Bowl in three appearances in his career. (Once as Falcons OC, twice as 49ers HC)