Fullback Kyle Juszczyk’s return opens the door for him to accomplish an extremely rare feat in San Francisco 49ers history.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Saturday morning reported Juszczyk would be returning to the 49ers on a two-year deal after being released by the team early in free agency. Juszczyk has been with San Francisco since 2017 when he signed as a free agent from the Baltimore Ravens. A two-year deal gives him a chance to hit the 49ers’ 10-Year Club − a wall in the team facility dedicated to players who spent 10-plus seasons with the organization. Only 51 players in 49ers history have made the 10-Year Club, and no player has done it since left tackle Joe Staley got there in 2016.
Now San Francisco has two players on the roster potentially in line to reach the 10-Year Club in 2026 with Juszczyk and tight end George Kittle, a 49ers 2017 draft pick. However, Juszczyk’s path would be exceedingly rare within the exclusive group.
Of the 51 players in the club, only nine were not 49ers draft picks.
Three of those nine were undrafted rookies, which leaves six players in the club for which the 49ers weren’t their first NFL team. Of those six, one (quarterback Steve Young) was acquired via trade.
Of the remaining five, two (wide receiver Mike Wilson and defensive lineman Dwaine Board) were released during their first preseason by the teams that drafted them.
Of the remaining three, two (TE Brent Jones and linebacker Mike Walter) spent at least part of their rookie seasons on another NFL roster before joining the 49ers in their second year.
That leaves one player, kicker Ray Wersching, who took the path Juszczyk is on. Wersching spent his first four NFL seasons with the San Diego Chargers. In 1977 he signed with the 49ers and spent his final 11 seasons in red and gold.
Juszczyk was a fourth-round pick of the Ravens in the 2013 draft. He was with them for four seasons before joining head coach Kyle Shanahan with the 49ers as a free agent in 2017. Despite the brief hiccup of his release, Juszczyk is now in line to get into the 10-Year Club with a rare distinction of spending multiple years in the NFL before making his way to the 49ers.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Kyle Juszczyk has chance to make 49ers history with 2-year contract
