The 49ers advanced to Super Bowl LIV after defeating the Packers in the NFC title game on Sunday. They wouldn’t have gotten there without the help of several former Broncos.
San Francisco’s general manager, John Lynch, played safety in Denver from 2004-2007, earning Pro Bowl nods all four years he played with the Broncos. Lynch is now a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The 49ers’ head coach, Kyle Shanahan, grew up on Denver’s sideline as a ball boy. The son of former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, Kyle will always be connected to Denver.
San Francisco wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders played five and a half years with the Broncos before being traded to the 49ers last October. He earned two Pro Bowl nods during his time in Denver and won Super Bowl 50. The trade that sent Sanders from the Broncos to the 49ers worked out well for all parties involved.
San Francisco center Ben Garland spent the first four years of his career with the Broncos, though only one year was spent on Denver’s active roster. After playing for the Air Force Falcons, Garland spent two years on the Broncos’ reserve/military list while he fulfilled his two-year military commitment.
Those aren’t the only 49ers coaches and players with connections to the Broncos. The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala posted a graphic showing San Francisco’s connections to Colorado:
The 49ers will face Kansas City in Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2 on Fox.
