Staley’s influence on his teammates wasn't limited to the offense, either. Linebacker Fred Warner was particularly moved by a few conversations he had with the 13-year veteran, as well as how Staley conducted himself on the field.
“I respect Joe so much,” Warner said earlier this week. “Just the pro he is and the teammate he was, obviously he was a goofball, liked to keep it light. But at the end of the day, he came to work and played at a high level.” Staley and Warner didn’t spend an inordinate amount of time together since they played on opposite sides of the ball. They didn't face off head-to-head during practices, either.
That might be why Warner was so struck by Staley going out of his way to praise what he had seen from the young linebacker at practice. “There were a few conversations that me and him had,” Warner said. “We didn’t have a lot, but there was a couple where he pulled me aside and told me how much he respects my game and sees a lot of potential in me to be one of the greats.
“Comparing me to [former 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis], and him playing with Patrick and seeing some of the similarities. And so that meant a lot to me, honestly. We will miss Joe a lot. It will be hard to not have him here anymore but he had the most in his career. I’m happy for him.”
NBCSAuthentic A lot of receivers will also be very happy.