SANTA CLARA — 49ers Dre Greenlaw is disappointed about not receiving a 2023 NFL Pro Bowl honor, but the snub only adds fuel to the fire for the linebacker going forward.
“I just put to the side,” Greenlaw told NBC Sports Bay Area on Thursday. “You think about it, and allow it to fuel you, but I just put it to the side and focus on what I can do. Can’t focus on stuff you don’t get, because you’d living in the past. Got to look forward to next year.”
Coach Kyle Shanahan believes Greenlaw not getting named to the Pro Bowl is one of the biggest snubs of the season. The linebacker leads the team with 111 tackles — 75 solo and three for a loss. The Arkansas product also has registered an interception, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
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“I think he’s had a Pro Bowl year,” Shanahan said. “I think he’s been great. I think he’s played at that level. He fought through some injuries early on and when he has been playing healthy, I think he’s played as good as anyone in this league.”
Greenlaw only appeared in three regular season games in 2021 and three in the postseason due to a lingering groin injury. When he was on the field, Greenlaw showed that he was worthy of the two-year contract extension that he signed in September. The deal keeps the linebacker with the team through the 2024 season.
Shanahan recalled the first moment when Greenlaw seemed to accelerate his career.
“The last game of the year versus the Rams when it was an elimination game, when it was our season would be over or go to the playoffs, that was one of the best games I’ve seen a linebacker have,” Shanahan said.
San Francisco 49ers
That Week 18 matchup in Los Angeles last season was Greenlaw’s first game back after missing all but one game since Week 1 of the season. He recorded 12 total tackles — five solo, and one quarterback hit.
“To play at that level after not playing throughout the year, continuing in the playoffs, but just to really build his body up the whole right way throughout the offseason to get it fully healthy, to go through some of the stuff that he had to, to train the right way, to practice the right way and not lose his aggression, to not change who he is and to figure out how to get his body to be able to handle it to me is why he is reaping the benefits now.”
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Greenlaw is looking ahead to the 49ers' matchup with the Washington Commanders on Saturday at Levi's Stadium, with the focus entirely on the task at hand. Still, one thing would help ease the pain of not being in the running for the Pro Bowl this season — winning it all.
“Congrats to my teammates, obviously, but I’d rather win a Super Bowl,” Greenlaw said. “If I win a Super Bowl then everything will go away.”