What Hufanga told Ji’Ayir Brown as 49ers rookie fills starting role

What Hufanga told Ji’Ayir Brown as 49ers rookie fills starting role

During the 49ers’ 27-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, rookie safety Ji’Ayir Brown significantly improved, taking over for Talanoa Hufanga, who sustained a season-ending ACL injury in the third quarter.

Pro Football Focus reports that in addition to recording the game-winning interception late in the fourth quarter, Brown also received credit for two crucial pass break-ups during Sunday’s victory.

Brown discussed with reporters on Tuesday how he and Hufanga have been corresponding as the rookie takes on a more significant position on the 49ers’ defense.

Brown told reporters, “Yeah, I talked to him [Hufanga], just wishing him the best.” “It’s a tough time for him and everything like that, so I just try and keep him up.”

After San Francisco’s victory over Tampa Bay, Brown also said that Hufanga immediately gave the youngster words of encouragement, underscoring the close relationship between the two defensive backs.

“He hit me up right after the game when everything was going on and told me how great of a job I was doing,” Brown said. “So I reached back out to him and just tried to keep his head high and stuff like that so he can stay in the right mindset.”

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Brown, who was chosen in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, had only played 31 defensive snaps for the 49ers this season before he took Hufanga’s spot in the second half of Sunday’s contest.

By playing 36 defensive snaps against Tampa Bay, the rookie surpassed his 2023 season total. He was instrumental in preventing the Buccaneers from erasing a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter.

Brown, a rookie safety with championship aspirations on defense, might find consolation in Hufanga’s words of consolation and encouragement as he prepares to assume a starting role.

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