Chase Lucas Steps Up to Lead 49ers Huddle Rainy Day

SANTA CLARA, California — On a rainy Thursday, the San Francisco 49ers gathered for their longest practice of the week. During a pre-practice huddle, cornerback Chase Lucas took off his helmet and addressed his teammates with a passionate message.

Standing among towering linemen, Lucas lifted his hand, joined by those of his teammates. Afterward, he put his helmet back on and shared his thoughts with NBC Sports Bay Area. “I got to say what I need to say to my boys, and getting them juiced and ready to roll,” Lucas said. “I feel like everybody says I always know what to say, but I’m just speaking from the heart. Whatever comes to my head, if it makes sense.”

Lucas was encouraged by tight end George Kittle to take on the responsibility of breaking down the huddle. Previously, this role was shared between Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner, who is out for the season due to an ankle injury. “I don’t like talking every single time,” Kittle explained. “There are guys on this team who have voices, who need to be heard, and Chase is one of those guys who might not get a lot of reps on defense, but he’s working really hard on special teams and leads by example.”

Lucas, formerly from Arizona State, was drafted in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. He spent two seasons primarily on special teams before joining the 49ers as a practice squad member in 2024. This season, he has participated in 62 defensive snaps and 140 on special teams.

After the huddle, Lucas confirmed Kittle’s encouragement, saying, “He said, ‘You got something you want to say to them?’ I said, ‘Hell, yeah, I got something I want to say to them.’ So I just told them we got a great opportunity in front of us, and this season can change within this game. It could change positively or negatively.”

Lucas’ ability to energize his teammates did not go unnoticed. Kittle praised his enthusiasm and called him an “X-factor.” “He’s like KB [Kendrick Bourne] for the defense, always in a good mood, always bringing it,” Kittle said. “Always 100 percent effort. When you have guys like that, it gets everybody around him to go, especially on a rainy day.”

Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh and Head Coach Kyle Shanahan have also recognized Lucas’s contributions. “That’s what Saleh and Kyle are saying,” Lucas stated. “But I feel like I’m just Chase. I just do the same thing every day. Whether someone is coming with me or not, I’m going to bring that energy.”

As Lucas puts it, “I’m not new to it, I’m true to it.”