49ers coach calls free agent signing one of his favorite people ever
· Yahoo Sports
Last offseason, the San Francisco 49ers lost linebacker Dre Greenlaw to the Denver Broncos, as he signed a three-year, $35 million deal in free agency to head to the AFC West and end his six-year run in the Bay Area.
Greenlaw played in just eight games for Denver last season due to injuries and a suspension for threatening a referee. The Broncos turned around and cut him this offseason, opening up an avenue for the linebacker to return to San Francisco.
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The 49ers welcomed him back with open arms on a one-year deal for the 2026 season, and over the weekend, head coach Kyle Shanahan shared just how happy he is to have him back in the building.
"Very excited," Shanahan told Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area. "Dre's one of my favorite players ever, people ever. We were heartbroken when we lost him last year, but it was just a year away. He's right back at home. We're very excited."
Shanahan even acknowledged what it means to get Greenlaw and Fred Warner back together.
"It's special," Shanahan said. "Those guys went through a lot together. They have a very special friendship. Dre's special to all of us, though. We're really pumped to get his family back."
Linebacker wasn't a huge need this offseason for the 49ers, as Warner was set to return alongside Dee Winters, Tatum Bethune and Nick Martin. However, adding Greenlaw to the room makes the position a real strength of the defense heading into 2026.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers coach calls free agent signing one of his favorite people ever