Hufanga shares update on emotional rehabilitation, target for return in 2024 originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
It was like the first day of school for Talanoa Hufanga as a 49ers reported for mandatory minicamp this week.
After Hufanga suffered a painful knee injury who ended his 2023 season early, the football-obsessed All-Pro safety was all smiles during the second day of camp in Santa Clara — simply grateful to be back on the field with his guys in whatever capacity.
“I’m feeling great,” Hufanga told reporters on Wednesday. “I get a little anxious out there. I’m super excited, it’s fun. The days that I can go out there and watch training have been a blessing. You see how much football really means to you when you’re away from it.
“It’s everything to me. I really love it.”
Hufanga tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in San Francisco’s Week 11 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Nov. 19 at Levi’s Stadium.
He missed the last seven games of the regular season and then had to watch the 49ers’ thrilling run to Super Bowl LVIII, where they were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime.
Although Hufanga wished he had been equipped on the football field with his teammates throughout the season and playoffs, he knew he could still impact the team from the sideline and was ultimately happy with his team’s success.
“I think it would be a bad situation for me as a teammate if I wasn’t happy for everyone,” Hufanga said. “When we got together at the beginning of the year, our goal was to go to the Super Bowl. Was it to win? Yes. Did we fall short? Yes. But it was a place for me to learn and really appreciate what it’s like to give of myself to the team and also as a leader. Learning , teaching, evolving.
“I wasn’t there the whole time because I had my surgery and I was away from the team, but when I came back it was like, ‘How can I be a shining light, a great resource to teach the guys and understand? different concepts?’ But we fell short and our goal is to come back this year with a chip on our shoulder and win the big one.”
“It would be a bad situation for me as a teammate if I wasn’t happy for everyone.”
Hufanga on having to watch his team’s Super Bowl from the sidelines pic.twitter.com/lvucTUkZaG
– 49ers on NBCS (@ NBCS49ers) June 5, 2024
In March, 49ers general manager John Lynch said Hufanga was rehabilitation “extremely well” and “going over schedule” during your recovery.
More than 10 weeks later, Hufanga has provided more clarity on when he expects to return to action.
“Obviously it’s a give or take at any time, but the goal is to be ready within week one,” he said. “The goal is to be at the training camp, not at the start, but to prepare properly so it’s not just throwing it to the wolves and ‘good luck.’
“But trying to be smart, we had a lot of discussions with the training staff and they put me in the best situation possible to be successful and then try to help the team as well.”
There is still a long way to go for Hufanga, but he will continue to flash his bright smile throughout the process until he is back in the Red and Gold in 2024.
