Podcasts about bay area sports

The 49ers have their initial 53-man roster — and the word "initial" is doing a lot of heavy lifting right now. San Francisco kept only 52 players, has no punter, no long snapper, and still has a trade for offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson that isn't officially done yet. So, who's ready? We got football in ten days.

They're going to Melbourne. And nobody knows exactly what they are yet. That's what makes this 49ers team the most fascinating story in the NFC heading into 2026. Because on one hand — the hope is real and it is enormous. Brock Purdy is entering his prime and on the verge of owning the highest career passer rating in NFL history. Christian McCaffrey is the best all-purpose weapon in football when his body cooperates. Mike Evans is a future HOF'er. Deebo Samuel is home. De'Zhaun Stribling just had the best preseason of any rookie receiver in the NFC. On the other hand ... Is Bosa 80% of what he used to be? Can Kittle give this season a real burst? Can CMC hold up? Will the defense rush the QB? We simply do not know. The hope. The questions. The ceiling. The floor. And what has to happen for the 2026 San Francisco 49ers to finally be the team that ends the drought and brings a Lombardi Trophy back to the Bay.

The San Francisco 49ers have played their last meaningless game of 2026 and everything that happens next counts for real. Melbourne. What did we learn across three preseason games and six weeks of training camp? Who exceeded expectations — and Stribling, we see you — and who fell short? What does the final 53-man roster look like and which cuts surprised you? How healthy is this team heading into the opener? And what does a prime time international showcase against the Rams in front of a sold-out Melbourne Cricket Ground actually mean for the 2026 San Francisco 49ers?

The San Francisco 49ers play their final preseason game in Las Vegas against the Raiders — and the only thing Kyle Shanahan cares about is getting every starter on that plane to Melbourne healthy, whole, and ready to go. Brock Purdy isn't playing. Nick Bosa isn't playing. Christian McCaffrey isn't playing. George Kittle isn't playing. The starters are staying home tonight and that is exactly the right call. Stay healthy. Play clean. Get on the plane.

Position battles to be won, tone to be set, and the owner "Joe York" no one wants to talk about. What happens in Vegas won't stay there. 49ers have one final preseason game amid a distraction no one could have expected.

The 49ers are supposed to be talking about Melbourne. About the Rams. About Nick Bosa's return and George Kittle's Achilles and whether this is finally the year they close the deal and bring a Lombardi Trophy back to Santa Clara. Now it's about Jed's reckless choices. Jed York has never been the most popular figure in San Francisco. The Super Bowl losses. The coaching carousel before Shanahan. The stadium deal. 49ers fans have had a complicated relationship with him for years — but they've tolerated it because the product on the field was worth tolerating it for. This is different. This is personal. This is embarrassing. And it doesn't go away.  Is this the most damaging off-field story in 49ers history? 

Jed York was arrested Sunday in East Palestine, Ohio and pleaded no contest Monday morning to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools. He was sentenced to two days in Columbiana County Jail — with credit for time served — and ordered to pay $1,150 in fines. A cell phone was ordered returned to York, and $160 in seized funds were forfeited to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force as part of the agreement. 

Kyle Shanahan said it himself — starters are playing tonight at SoFi Stadium. Which means for the first time all preseason, we get a real look at what the 2026 San Francisco 49ers are actually going to look like when the lights are on and the games count. 

Last week it was eight fights against the Titans. Tuesday in El Segundo it was all business — no brawls, no drama, just the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Chargers going rep for rep in one of the cleanest and most competitive joint practices of the entire preseason. Chargers looked great, 49ers learned they got some work to do. 

The 49ers are in El Segundo today for a joint practice with the Los Angeles Chargers — and after eight fights, four ejections, and one of the nastiest practices the NFC West has seen in years against the Titans last week, the entire football world is watching to see if San Francisco shows up to practice (or fight)? With Melbourne and the Rams now less than three weeks away, every rep today counts. Drop your takes in the chat — what do you need to see from the 49ers today? 

De'Zhaun Stribling was everything. Gracen Halton was a problem. Kurtis Rourke looked like a real backup quarterback until his ribs said otherwise. And the 49ers lost 19-13 to the Titans in a preseason opener that told us more about this roster than any training camp practice could. So what did we actually learn? And what do we need to see Thursday night at SoFi Stadium when the 49ers head south to face the Los Angeles Chargers in preseason game two? 

The 49ers lost 19-13 to the Titans in the preseason opener. Nobody cares. De'Zhaun Stribling just put the entire NFC on notice. This was the player the 49ers drafted 33rd overall. This was the guy they were counting on to step into the void left by Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall. And in his very first NFL game — playing with a third-string quarterback — he looked every bit the part. Gracen Halton beat one of the best left guards in football three consecutive times in a single series and is starting to look like the defensive tackle this team has been desperately missing. Kurtis Rourke — the seventh-round pick making his first appearance in 601 days after ACL surgery — went 12 for 14 for 101 yards and two scrambles before leaving with a rib injury. We break it all down, and start piecing together what 2026 will bring to 49ers fans. 

He's been a Super Bowl champion as a player. A two-time NFL Coach of the Year. One of the most respected football minds of his generation. And now Ron Rivera is back where it all started — at Cal Berkeley — as the Golden Bears' General Manager, helping build a program for a new era of college football that looks nothing like the one he played in. Riverboat Ron joins Damon for a wide ranging talk about football. This is a football conversation for football fans. Not just Cal fans. Not just NFL fans. Anyone who has ever loved the game, respected the grind, and wanted to hear from someone who has lived it at the highest level. 

Three fights in the first six plays from scrimmage. Eight total brawls before it was over. Four ejections. And a San Francisco 49ers defense that came out to joint practice against the Tennessee Titans looking less like a football team and more like a statement. This is the 49ers trying to build a bully. 

Today is the day the pretending stops. Walkthroughs are over. Shells are over. Competing against your own teammates every day is over. The Tennessee Titans just pulled into Santa Clara — and for the first time in their professional lives, De'Zhaun Stribling, Kaelon Black, Romello Height, Ephysians Prysock, Carver Willis, and every other 49ers rookie is going to line up against somebody wearing a different colored jersey who is actively trying to take their job away from them. This is where we find out who's real. 

No more shells. No more walkthroughs. No more speculation. The Tennessee Titans are in Santa Clara for two days of joint practices and a preseason game this week — and for the first time all summer, the 49ers' biggest questions get tested against a real opponent in real pads. Shanahan & Salah have great history, and it should be a very valuable week for both teams because of that relationship. 

ESPN called the left guard spot San Francisco's biggest training camp battle — and it's not hard to see why. Both guards from last season, Ben Bartch and Spencer Burford, walked out the door in free agency. And now the 49ers are sorting through a competition that is genuinely wide open and changing by the day. Connor Colby — a seventh-round pick who made six starts as a rookie last season — entered camp with the early edge, working with the first-team unit while veteran Robert Jones got second-team reps. The script has already flipped. 

Aaron Donald — three-time Defensive Player of the Year, first-ballot Hall of Famer, the most dominant interior defensive lineman in NFL history — officially worked out for the Los Angeles Rams this week in what the NFL transaction wire formally labeled a tryout. Sean McVay said things are going in the right direction. NBC Sports is reporting a decision could come in the coming days. For 49ers fans watching this from Santa Clara with 20 guys on the injury report and an offensive line battle at left guard that's still completely unsettled — this is not the news you wanted heading into Week 1 in Melbourne. 

The 49ers have been statistically among the most injured teams in the NFL for the better part of a decade. The substation theory went viral this winter. The independent scientist said the facility was safe. And now training camp looks like a M.A.S.H. unit. Twenty players down. Zero games played.  What's "normal" about that? 

We're going LIVE to have the honest conversation the 49ers can't escape no matter how many scientists they hire. Right or wrong. Fair or foul. Proven or conspiracy. It doesn't matter anymore — because perception has become reality, and the reality is this franchise has been the most injured team in the NFL for the better part of a decade and nobody has a clean explanation for why. 

Pearsall is 25 years old and will have played a total of 20 games through his first three NFL seasons. Ouch. The 49ers spent the 31st overall pick on him in 2024 — a first-round receiver they believed could become a cornerstone of this offense for the next decade. Sadly, his career looks closer to over, than being significant. NFL, really does stand for "NOT FOR LONG". 

The 49ers traded Deebo Samuel to Washington for a fifth-round pick in 2025. One year later — with Ricky Pearsall's knee potentially done for the season, Christian Kirk's calf sidelining him indefinitely, Brandon Aiyuk in a mansion in Virginia and not on a roster — San Francisco went right back to the familiar name and signed Deebo Samuel to a one-year deal worth up to $7 million. 

Three Days. That's it. That's all the 49ers got from Ricky Pearsall before his knee shut him down again. The same PCL that cost him eight games in 2025 is already flaring — and the 49ers have set no timeline for his return, saying only that they are "evaluating all options." In NFL parlance, that phrase doesn't precede good news. The injury bug is already nibbling at the roster. Stop me if you've heard this one before. 

In hour 1, Spadoni and Shasky discuss the chaotic day in Bay Area sports as Shanahan takes responsibility for his accident, Bader gets into a scooter accident and Draymond signs a 1 year extension.

Shasky goes off as Bader gets in scooter accident, Shanahan takes responsibility for his car accident and Draymond Green resigns for 1 year $27.7M.

Spadoni and Shasky discuss with Dylan the Dragon what to make of the Giants season, LeBron not coming to the Warriors and if the 49ers are title contenders.

In hour 1 of Steiny and Guru, Evan (filling in for Steiny) and Guru get into who's window is getting tighter to be a title contender? It seems like with the age, the Warriors are looking like that team. There's a lot of speculation that Warriors owner, Joe Lacob is already trying to build a team for the post - Curry era. How much do we buy into that?

The 2026 San Francisco 49ers are staring down the most important season of the Kyle Shanahan era — and everybody inside that building knows it. The greatest collection of talent this franchise has assembled since the dynasty years is getting older by the day. The salary cap is squeezing. The injury history is real. And the margin between Super Bowl contender and first-round exit in January is thinner than it has ever been. 2026 isn't just another season. For this group — it might be the season. 

The NFL generated over $20 billion in revenue last year. Seventeen of the twenty most watched television broadcasts in American history are NFL games. The average franchise is now worth $6 billion. The lowest-rated Thursday night game outdraws the NBA Finals. And the Super Bowl doesn't just win the night — it stops the entire country cold for four hours and becomes the only thing anybody talks about for a week in either direction. We're going LIVE to make the case that the NFL stopped being a sports league a long time ago — it's now one of the most powerful, most profitable, and most culturally dominant businesses operating in the United States of America. Sunday afternoons from September through January, and has turned watching football into the closest thing America has to a shared religion. No sport is chasing it. No sport is close. 

We're going LIVE with ESPN Warriors insider Nick Friedell to break down everything that has and hasn't happened in Golden State this summer — and right now, the "hasn't happened" list is a lot longer than anybody expected. LeBron is just the headline. The deeper story is what the Warriors have and haven't done this entire offseason. 

Deebo Samuel is apparently not done with San Francisco. There are rumblings. De'Zhaun Stribling. Kaelon Black. Romello Height. Ephysians Prysock. The kids are in the building. And in exactly one week, veterans report and training camp officially opens — which means the longest offseason in recent 49ers memory is almost over. What does the rookie class need to show in camp? What would a Deebo reunion actually look like on this roster alongside Mike Evans, Ricky Pearsall, and De'Zhaun Stribling? And with Bosa, Kittle, and McCaffrey all coming back from major injuries — is this the most important training camp of the Kyle Shanahan era? 

Hour 4 -- The guys give you another addition of the Bay Area Sports Calendar featuring the top things to do in the Bay Area this weekend. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 4 -- The guys give you another addition of the Bay Area Sports Calendar featuring the top things to do in the Bay Area this weekend. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's hiding in plain sight. And we're done letting it hide. His career passer rating currently sits among the highest in NFL history. He owns the highest passer rating through a quarterback's first 25 career starts since at least 1970. He has the most games with a passer rating of 130 or higher in a player's first three seasons in NFL history. Brock Purdy works the middle of the field like a Hall of Fame talent. The anticipation throws. The timing on crossing routes. The ability to go through progressions and find the window before it closes. That's not system. That's quarterback. And it's the part of his game that gets buried under the Mr. Irrelevant narrative every single time someone wants to diminish what he is. 

Robert Saleh built this 49ers defense. He knows what a pass rusher looks like before the rest of us do. And at the American Century Championship, he went on record with a name nobody expected — Alfred Collins. Not Mykel Williams. Not CJ West. The second-round pick who finished his rookie year with a 35.0 PFF grade and the lowest marks on the entire defense. Saleh called him the biggest surprise of the draft class and said flat out — "When it triggers for him, he's going to be a bear to stop." We're going LIVE to figure out what Saleh saw that the box score didn't. Because if he's right, and Collins takes the leap Year 2 alongside Odighizuwa and a healthy Mykel Williams, this defensive line goes from the biggest question mark on the roster to one of its most dangerous weapons. Drop your takes in the chat. 

]LeBron James left the Lakers. Talked to 27 teams. Let the entire NBA make their pitch. And now every insider in the league is saying the same thing — it's Golden State or Cleveland. That's it. That's the list. Nick Friedell put it plainly: "It's about 50/50 right now. It's Golden State and Cleveland. I just don't see another team that makes that much sense." And one Western Conference executive told Front Office Sports he'd be "stunned" if LeBron picked anyone other than the Warriors or Cavaliers. 

In Hour 4, Grandi and Dibs continue talking about which Bay Area sports teams have drafted the best in recent years, as they anticipate the MLB Draft taking place this weekend.

The 49ers have one of the most talented veteran cores in the NFL. They also have one of the oldest. We're going LIVE to ask the question nobody in San Francisco really wants to sit with: which veterans are most at risk of backsliding in 2026? 

So where does this go from here? I can promise you, we're not even close to the bottom. It's going to get so much worse when Aiyuk's delusion becomes his new reality. We're going LIVE to break down exactly how much worse this gets — the contract situation, the trade market, the injury questions, the locker room reputation, and the very real possibility that Brandon Aiyuk has played his last meaningful snap in the NFL. Because here's the thing about burning every bridge at once. You still have to find a way home. 

A third-round pick out of Western Kentucky. Selected 77th overall. Not exactly a household name. But ESPN and PFF both just named Upton Stout as the San Francisco 49ers' breakout candidate for 2026 — and when you watch what he did as a rookie, it's not hard to see why. Stout stepped in immediately as the 49ers' primary nickel cornerback as a rookie, held his own on a defense that was young and banged up all season, showed the football IQ to avoid making the same mistakes twice, and earned enough trust to start in the playoffs. PFF called him a gem. ESPN called him a breakout waiting to happen. 

There is a group of fans and media members whose entire identity is tied to the belief that Kyle Shanahan can't coach. They were wrong in 2019. Wrong in 2022. Wrong in 2023. Wrong every single time the 49ers went on a deep playoff run, or missed the playoffs all together. And they'll be wrong again in 2026. We're going LIVE to talk about the Shanahan Denial Club — who's in it, why they're in it, and why the argument has never actually held up under scrutiny. 

Brandon Aiyuk came into this offseason with one job: stay quiet, get traded to Washington, reunite with his college quarterback, and rebuild his career. He couldn't do it. NFL teams sign Brandon Aiyuk at their own peril.  Drop your takes in the chat. 

No player in the NFL generates more heat, more takes, more arguments, and more split screens than Brock Purdy. System quarterback or legitimate star? Lucky beneficiary of Kyle Shanahan's genius or the reason the whole thing works? Every conversation about the 49ers eventually ends up here — and nobody ever walks away with the other side convinced. In this stream we're diving into why Purdy has become the most polarizing, most debated, most fascinating player in football right now and what that argument actually tells us about how we evaluate quarterbacks in the modern NFL.  Subscribe to DB+ for the Bay Area's most unfiltered sports coverage.  Sign up for PrizePicks with code: HMA and get $50 in lineups instantly when you play your first $5+ lineup! https://link.prizepicks.com/LME0/DAMON  Snapp AI: Use code "DamonBruceFree" when you sign up at: https://www.trysnapp.ai/  For advertising opportunities: contact@hogmedia.co Support the show by becoming a member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcs13VXhiObJg6jGDw2xbZg/join  All Damon Bruce Plus content is available on your favorite podcast platform: https://pod.link/1681177856. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Football is ten weeks away and these two teams have something to prove. The 49ers need to silence the doubters in a brutal NFC West. The Raiders need to show this franchise is finally headed somewhere real. In this livestream, JT The Brick joins DB+ for a wide open conversation about what's coming — the storylines, the stakes, and why the next ten weeks of preparation matter more than most fans realize. Summer is short. Football is almost here. Let's get into it.  Subscribe to DB+ for the Bay Area's most unfiltered sports coverage.  Sign up for PrizePicks with code: HMA and get $50 in lineups instantly when you play your first $5+ lineup! https://link.prizepicks.com/LME0/DAMON  Snapp AI: Use code "DamonBruceFree" when you sign up at: https://www.trysnapp.ai/  For advertising opportunities: contact@hogmedia.co  Support the show by becoming a member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcs13VXhiObJg6jGDw2xbZg/join  All Damon Bruce Plus content is available on your favorite podcast platform: https://pod.link/1681177856.  #49ers #raiders #49erspodcast #football Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's official. LeBron James has informed the Lakers he will be leaving the franchise in free agency, entering Year 24 with a new team outside Los Angeles for the first time in eight years. And the Warriors are no longer a long shot pipe dream — they are in this thing for real.  Subscribe to DB+ for the Bay Area's most unfiltered sports coverage.  Sign up for PrizePicks with code: HMA and get $50 in lineups instantly when you play your first $5+ lineup! https://link.prizepicks.com/LME0/DAMON  Snapp AI: Use code "DamonBruceFree" when you sign up at: https://www.trysnapp.ai/  For advertising opportunities: contact@hogmedia.co  Support the show by becoming a member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcs13VXhiObJg6jGDw2xbZg/join  All Damon Bruce Plus content is available on your favorite podcast platform: https://pod.link/1681177856. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Join me at the Vern Glenn Invitational as we hit the golf course with some of the biggest names in Bay Area sports!In support of a great cause benefiting local youth and the community, we caught up with legends including Jerry Rice, Chris Mullin, and many more for fun, candid conversations about their careers, unforgettable memories, and life beyond the game. They also shared their admiration for Vern Glenn and the impact he's had on Bay Area sports and the people around himTo learn more about the Vern Glenn Invitational and support its mission, please visit: https://www.vernglenninvitational.netSubscribe & stay connected: 

Brandon Aiyuk had everything in front of him. Talent, opportunity, a contract, a real role in a contending offense. And piece by piece, decision by decision, it's been unraveling — not because the ability disappeared, but because of who's whispering in his ear and what he's chosen to do with it. In this stream we're tracing how Aiyuk got here: the bad advice, the self-inflicted wounds, and the choices that turned a rising star into one of the most cautionary tales in the NFL.  Subscribe to DB+ for the Bay Area's most unfiltered 49ers coverage.  Sign up for PrizePicks with code: HMA and get $50 in lineups instantly when you play your first $5+ lineup! https://link.prizepicks.com/LME0/DAMON  Snapp AI: Use code "DamonBruceFree" when you sign up at: https://www.trysnapp.ai/  For advertising opportunities: contact@hogmedia.co  Support the show by becoming a member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcs13VXhiObJg6jGDw2xbZg/join  All Damon Bruce Plus content is available on your favorite podcast platform: https://pod.link/1681177856. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hour 1: The Giants' thrilling win over the A's has left fans buzzing, but will it be a turning point for the team? In this episode, the hosts dive into the details of the game, discussing Victor Barracoto's walk-off home run and Raffi Devers' clutch hit. They also touch on the Warriors' latest news, including Al Horford's decision to decline his player option and sign a two-year deal with the team. The hosts also discuss the NBA's latest trades, including the Charlotte Hornets' deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The conversation is lively and engaging, with the hosts sharing their thoughts on the Giants' recent performance and the implications of their win. They also discuss the Warriors' moves and how they might impact the team's chances in the upcoming season. The hosts' banter and chemistry are on full display as they debate the pros and cons of the team's decisions. One of the most interesting topics of discussion is the Giants' recent trend of winning games on Wednesdays. The hosts explore the team's history of success on this day of the week and how it might be a sign of good things to come. They also discuss the team's struggles against the A's and how the win might be a turning point in their season. If you're a Giants fan, you won't want to miss this episode. The hosts' analysis and commentary are insightful and entertaining, and they offer a unique perspective on the team's performance. Tune in to hear their thoughts on the Giants' win and what it might mean for the rest of the season.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1: The Giants' thrilling win over the A's has left fans buzzing, but will it be a turning point for the team? In this episode, the hosts dive into the details of the game, discussing Victor Barracoto's walk-off home run and Raffi Devers' clutch hit. They also touch on the Warriors' latest news, including Al Horford's decision to decline his player option and sign a two-year deal with the team. The hosts also discuss the NBA's latest trades, including the Charlotte Hornets' deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The conversation is lively and engaging, with the hosts sharing their thoughts on the Giants' recent performance and the implications of their win. They also discuss the Warriors' moves and how they might impact the team's chances in the upcoming season. The hosts' banter and chemistry are on full display as they debate the pros and cons of the team's decisions. One of the most interesting topics of discussion is the Giants' recent trend of winning games on Wednesdays. The hosts explore the team's history of success on this day of the week and how it might be a sign of good things to come. They also discuss the team's struggles against the A's and how the win might be a turning point in their season. If you're a Giants fan, you won't want to miss this episode. The hosts' analysis and commentary are insightful and entertaining, and they offer a unique perspective on the team's performance. Tune in to hear their thoughts on the Giants' win and what it might mean for the rest of the season.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every year an undrafted free agent sneaks onto the 49ers roster and earns a real role under Kyle Shanahan — and every year the fanbase wants to know who that guy is before training camp even starts. In this stream we're breaking down this year's undrafted class, identifying the player with the clearest path to a roster spot, and explaining what makes him different from the dozens of UDFAs fighting for a handful of openings. Scheme fit, special teams value, position need — we're covering it all.  Subscribe to DB+ for the Bay Area's most unfiltered 49ers coverage.  Sign up for PrizePicks with code: HMA and get $50 in lineups instantly when you play your first $5+ lineup! https://link.prizepicks.com/LME0/DAMON  Snapp AI: Use code "DamonBruceFree" when you sign up at: https://www.trysnapp.ai/  For advertising opportunities: contact@hogmedia.co  Support the show by becoming a member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcs13VXhiObJg6jGDw2xbZg/join  All Damon Bruce Plus content is available on your favorite podcast platform: https://pod.link/1681177856. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.