Click image to view the 49ners in action.
By SJSU Athletics
More than 20 players with affiliations to the San Francisco 49ers recently completed a four-day, organized informal workout at San Jose State University’s South Campus facilities.
Members of last year’s team and prospects taken in the 2011 National Football League (NFL) draft participated in the workouts and classroom sessions organized by quarterback Alex Smith, who finished his sixth season with the team in 2010.
At www.sfgate.com, 49ers beat reporter Kevin Lynch wrote in his June 7 blog, “Forget Stanford and Cal, San Jose State might be the most NFL friendly college in the Bay Area. Not only are they hosting these workouts, but over the years they’ve sponsored practices for the Patriots, Cowboys and Saints…”
San Jose State’s Director of Athletics Tom Bowen is very familiar with the league’s culture. Prior to joining the Spartans in December 2004, Bowen was the 49ers director of community affairs and executive director of the 49ers Foundation.
The informal workout was spurred by the expiration of the league’s collective bargaining agreement with the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) and the decertification of the players’ union. Currently by federal court rulling, coaches and players are not allowed to contact one another. Typically, during the spring and early summer months, organized training activities (OTAs) and mini-camps precede official practice in July and August.