With the bulk of the transactional portion of the NFL offseason coming to an end during last week’s draft, we’ve entered the quietest part of the league’s calendar. Former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Willie Snead didn’t get the quiet time memo.
Snead, who is currently a free agent, went on social media and took some not-so-subtle shots at his former organization. The former Ball State Cardinal let his feelings be known about the type of team and team culture he would like to find.
All I want is to go back to a team that isn’t afraid to let guys compete for a roster spot. These last 3 years been nothing short of entitlement… Competition breedz Champions❗️
— Willie Snead IV (@Willie_Snead4G) May 3, 2024
While Snead didn’t call out names, this is clearly a shot at the brass in San Francisco. Namely head coach Kyle Shanahan. He’s the one who makes the on-field decisions in terms of who plays.
Understandably, Snead would be upset at his lack of opportunity with the Niners. He has appeared in eight games over the past two seasons while catching two balls on three official targets for 14 yards.
There could be a million reasons why Shanahan didn’t play Snead during his stint with the team. But Snead’s comments are a clear indictment of the culture in San Francisco. Whether it’s true or not is only known by those on the inside.
For a player who hasn’t played much the past few years, Snead is talking big smack while he sits on the sideline. At 31 years old and with his most productive years behind him, the next team is no guarantee.
Statistically, Snead’s most productive years came back in 2015 and 2016. Those were his first two seasons in the league under Sean Payton with the New Orleans Saints. Snead played in 15 games each of those seasons catching 141 passes for 1,879 and seven touchdowns combined.
Since then, Snead has had one year in which he has he snagged more than 33 catches and that was in Baltimore for the Ravens, where he caught 62 receptions in 2018. That’s been a long time ago and based on his recent stints, time may be running out on Snead.
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