How 49ers safety Hufanga used injury downtime to improve his game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SANTA CLARA — Talanoa Hufanga earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors during the 2022 NFL season, but looking back at his play, the 49ers safety now believes his performance was not up to par.
While working his way back from a season-ending ACL injury, Hufanga had unlimited time to pour over his own game film with a fine-tooth comb. Now, the defensive back sees his play very differently.
“It’s actually funny because I look back to my second year, All-Pro, Pro Bowl,” Hufanga said Thursday in the 49ers’ locker room. “But to me, it was really mediocre in a sense. I really like to look at it that way, and I’ve got to criticize myself to that standard. For myself, I’ve got to be better for this team, more communicative.”
During the offseason, Hufanga usually trains in San Diego with Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu. But this year, the safety chose to stay close to the team facility while going through his rehab process. When Hufanga couldn’t work out physically, he focused on his mind.
“It’s crazy because part of this process is the volume aspect of it,” Hufanga said. “You can never put too much volume early on, not a lot of running aspect to it. So a lot of it was just me watching film. I pride myself on watching film already, but on top of that, I watched hours and hours of film and really just correcting my mistakes.”
From the outside, someone might think that the USC product is being too hard on himself. But for Hufanga, it was the silver lining of his injury. The eye-opening journey is one that will help the safety be a better player during his return, expected to come this weekend.
“Even the plays that I have made, how can I be better on those?” Hufanga continued. “Why did it take me three times to see the same play? And it happens across the league. I’m not saying I’m the only person, but I like to hold myself to that standard. If I’ve seen that play twice already, why’d it take me a third time to make it?”
Hufunga is set to make his return to the field on Sunday when the 49ers face off with the Los Angeles Rams, and defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen says it’s more than just the film study that gives him confidence the All-Pro will be ready.
“In walk-through, he’ll shadow whoever’s in,” Sorensen said Thursday. “So he is getting himself those actual reps and making sure that you hear him on the side, making all the calls that he’d be making as if he was actually in the game. That’s really what you want everyone to do. If you’re not getting the rep, you should get a mental rep.”
Hufanga has not played a live football rep since Nov. 19, 2023, but being away from the field clearly did not mean being away from football. With a new perspective, the defensive back will be ready for plays that the defense missed in the first two contests of the 2024 NFL season.
“I’m just super excited and super blessed,” Hufanga said. “All praise to God to get me back out on the field. Got great teammates who support, and great staff that’s really helped me through a lot of this process.”
The 49ers kick off Week 3 in Los Angeles at 1:25 p.m. PT.
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