Other than not being able to get into the locker room, Emmanuel Sanders’ first day on the job with the 49ers was perfect.
Presumably, they’ll get the veteran wide receiver into the security system so the fingerprint scanner will recognize him, but he’s clearly happy to be in new surroundings.
“I needed a change of scenery, and it feels good to have a change of scenery,” Sanders said, via Matt Maiocco of NBCSportsBayArea.com. “What a great locker room the 49ers have here, and I just want to bring even more positive energy and bring another spark to this offense.”
Sanders was traded from a very bad team (the 2-5 Broncos) to a very good one (the 6-0 49ers). And while Broncos boss John Elway alluded to “issues” before dealing him and a fifth-round pick for a third and a fourth, it was obvious that getting into the playoff hunt was something that energized the 32-year-old.
He said he feels like he has two years left, though this one is the last one on his contract, and being on a team that’s winning might help make up his mind this offseason.
“Once I become a free agent, yeah, it’s going to factor in a lot,” Sanders said. “Obviously, a lot of people don’t understand, yeah, the money is good. I got a lot of things, and my fair share of that, but it’s about happiness.
“It’s about happiness. It’s about, is it worth it? For me, if I’m just playing for the money, and we’re talking about longevity and life, it’s not worth it for me. I love playing football. I love being happy. I love winning games. And I think that’s going to be the ultimate deciding factor in where I go.”
While his new surroundings are still new enough to provide a few challenges, his position coach is a former teammate (Wes Welker), which should help him settle in.
