Will former Cal standout Alex Mack be a part of the 49ers for 2021? Will he signal with one other group? Will he retire?

Mack, a six-time Professional Bowl choice as a middle who performed for the Golden Bears from 2004 by 2008, is an unrestricted free agent after his five-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons expired on the finish of the 2020 season.

He began the primary 14 video games of the 2020 however missed the final two with a concussion and points associated to COVID-19. His final recreation with the Falcons was on December 20, and each latest report out of Atlanta relating to Mack’s future says there may be nearly no likelihood the Falcons will re-sign Mack, who’s 35 years previous.

Mack mentioned earlier than the season started that he would think about retiring after the 2020 season:

“Going into Yr 12, I really feel fairly good and excited for it, able to take it on,” Mack instructed ESPN in a story posted last May. “I will play the yr out, see how I really feel — how my physique works and the way a lot I am having fun with it — then make the choice on the finish of yr if I need to hold going or what. The longer term is unknown, and that is the way in which I am it. Yearly is one yr at a time: hold going, put together, and play, and do every little thing as finest as I can. Then I will see the place I am at.”

Mack nonetheless may retire, however his feedback because the finish of the season recommend he plans to maintain taking part in for some time, providing no hints that he plans to go away the sport now.

“We’ll see what groups have an interest and what they’ve to supply and attempt to decide from there,” Mack instructed Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area final week.

That dialogue centered on Mack’s doable curiosity in signing with the 49ers, who want an improve on the middle place.

San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan was the Browns’ offensive coordinator in 2014, when Mack performed for Cleveland, and Shanahan was the Falcons’ offensive coordinator in 2016, which was Mack’s first season in Atlanta. Mack clearly is aware of Shanahan and referred to as the potential for taking part in beneath Shanahan once more “attractive.”

“Kyle is an unbelievable coach,” Mack instructed NBC Sports activities on Friday. “He’s an unbelievable coach, nice individual, sturdy motivator and runs an offense that’s one thing that I’d know rather well and that I carried out very properly in.

“Yeah, that mentioned, they [the 49ers] are a really attractive factor.”

Mack realized he could not say far more than that, however various media retailers have picked up these feedback and run with them, suggesting Mack’s subsequent vacation spot may be San Francisco.

Choose for your self within the video beneath, with Mack’s feedback about his free company starting about 3:30 into the video:

Mack was born in Los Angeles and went to highschool in Santa Barbara earlier than attending Cal, so he’s a product of California.

And there may be little doubt the 49ers may use a confirmed middle like Mack.

Maverick Pallack of the “All 49ers” website reported final week that Mack could be the “ideally suited signing.”

Atlanta middle Alex Mack could be the best signing. He performed beneath Kyle Shanahan for 2 seasons, is aware of the system, could be a veteran chief to a line that would lose Trent Williams and may be had for beneath $6 million attributable to age (35 years previous).

Mack made about $10 million in 2020, and it is unclear whether or not he could be prepared to take a large pay lower for his ultimate few years within the league.

Mack has began 184 NFL video games, together with playoffs, and was on the Falcons group that went to the Tremendous Bowl following the 2016 season — the sport during which the Falcons blew a 28-3 lead with eight minutes left within the third quarter, shedding in time beyond regulation to the Patriots.

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