Virtual meeting gags and unique workouts: Kyle Juszczyk discusses 49ers’ offseason

It doesn’t sound like sheltering in place has changed the mood of the 49ers’ offseason much.

The jokes and laughs typically shared in San Francisco’s relaxed locker room have themed the team’s Zoom meetings during the virtual offseason program.

“We have a very close-knit group,” fullback Kyle Juszczyk said from his home in New York state Tuesday. “And we can all poke fun at each other.”

The 49ers aren’t likely to get on the practice field until training camp starting in late July because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the meantime, they’re installing coach Kyle Shanahan’s fourth-year offense through a series of online videos and meetings.

The ringleader of the pranks and humor is tight end George Kittle, who has gathered a collection of photos of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and Shanahan through back channels. He’s used them as his backgrounds on Zoom during the meetings with coaches and teammates.

“People love throwing up old pictures as their background,” Juszczyk said. “Kittle’s the king of it, as you would imagine, of always keeping things light, always putting up pictures of Jimmy from middle school or high school prom.”

Kittle and Garoppolo have a history of messing with each other by using old pictures.

Garoppolo during the playoffs told local reporters that Kittle put a shirt with Kittle’s face in his locker. Turns out, Garoppolo planted the shirt himself and Kittle got his retribution by wearing a shirt featuring a shirtless photo of Garoppolo following the NFC championship.

Kittle is believed to be working on finding pictures of other teammates and coaches to use as Zoom backgrounds.

The NFL, meanwhile, has extended the dates of the virtual offseason program through May 29, according to a source.

For Juszczyk, the virtual offseason program has provided a welcomed change of pace, given the circumstances. Players would prefer to practice on the field, but online video sessions have allowed coaches to harp on details that might have otherwise gotten overlooked in a normal offseason.

“We get a lot of really good work in,” Juszczyk said. “It’s been super refreshing, to be totally honest with you, how much work we have been getting done in these Zoom meetings ... we’ve really been able to dive into the nitty gritty and the details of this offense.”

Juszczyk said coaches have emphasized that players learn the responsibilities for other positions. Receivers have been learning the tight ends’ jobs and vice versa, which could continue Shanahan’s trend towards positional versatility. The 49ers utilize motions and unique alignments to stress defenses as often as any offense in the NFL.

The fullback has used the offseason to find unique ways to stay in shape. He posted videos on social media of running in snow and lifting logs. He garnered a headline from TMZ that said Juszczyk was “training like Rocky” in quarantine while squatting tree trunks.

Juszczyk had to resort to nature for his workouts because he and his wife, Kristin, went to her family’s cabin in upstate New York when the pandemic first broke out. That meant trying to find ways to train in a winter wonderland.

He wound up pulling family members on makeshift sled, doing leg workouts with giant logs and catching passes while running in snow.

“I thought it was a great time to take advantage of some unusual training, things I don’t usually do,” Juszczyk said. “And that really worked out perfectly. I like to do that kind of stuff anyways in the offseason.”

New rule could impact 49ers coaching staff

The NFL on Tuesday adopted a new rule that would prevent teams from blocking assistant coaches from interviewing for coordinator jobs.

That means that Shanahan’s top offensive lieutenants, passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur and running game coordinator Mike McDaniel, could be targets to become offensive coordinators next offseason.

Shanahan has blocked both coaches last offseason from interviewing for coordinator jobs because he said they wouldn’t be a promotion. LaFleur was blocked from interviewing with Green Bay to work under his brother, Matt LaFleur, who became the Packers’ head coach before last season.

McDaniel was a presumptive target of Kliff Kingsbury to add to the Arizona Cardinals offensive staff. Neither McDaniel nor LaFleur would have had play calling duties with those teams, just as Shanahan calls the plays with San Francisco.