Next season won’t be Joe Staley’s last in red and gold. The team announced Wednesday the 34-year-old signed a two-year extension that will keep him with the team through the 2021 season.
Staley seemed unsure about his future this offseason. The 2019 season was the final year on his contract and he hadn’t made a decision on past this year.
The 49ers made it clear they wanted Staley to stay if he was going to play. This extension ensures he’ll remain in San Francisco if he decides to continue suiting up.
San Francisco selected Staley with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2007 draft. Since then, he’s become a mainstay on the 49ers’ offensive line, starting all 174 games he’s played in his 12-year career.
Staley continues playing at a high level into his mid-30s, and his ability to be effective in a fast-paced 49ers’ offense has allowed him to stick at left tackle. There was some talk of Mike McGlinchey eventually moving to the left side once Staley vacated the spot he’s held for more than a decade. Now it looks like that won’t be necessary until at least after the 2021 campaign.
