San Francisco 49ers safety Tony Jefferson missed the entirety of the 2020 season as he recovered from a torn ACL sustained the prior season with the Baltimore Ravens.
Now having last played in an NFL game in Oct. 2019, Jefferson can’t wait to show the league what he’s still capable of.
“Sitting out a year, you just completely miss everything,” Jefferson said on the NFL Network. “You just want to put your hand in the pile at this point. For me, being undrafted, it’s like starting all over again and just going out there and proving yourself and making a name. Cause, you know, you sit out a year, a lot of people forget. Forget who you are, forget what you’ve done, and it’s time for me to remind people.”
Jefferson had come off a pair of really strong seasons with the Ravens before his injury in 2019 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was off to a great start that year as well before being sidelined. While he worked to recover from the knee injury, he was unable to find a team that wanted to bring him in last year.
The 49ers signed Jefferson last month and he brings veteran experience to a safety position that dealt with injuries themselves last season. Jaquiski Tartt and Jimmie Ward each dealt with injuries last season in San Francisco.
Jefferson is eager to show that he’s still got it after getting back to full strength.
“I’m excited to just to be able to put my hand in the pile, work my tail off and prove myself,” Jefferson said. “Like I said, taking a year off for a guy who’s been playing since four years old, words can’t really express how excited I am for this opportunity.”