The San Francisco 49ers are retooling their roster, and they have lost quite a few players in free agency as a result. One of the more under-the-radar players who has found a new home this offseason is running back Elijah Mitchell, and after he opted to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs, his old teammate Kyle Juszczyk sent him a strong message.
After emerging as the Niners lead running back in 2021 during his rookie campaign, Mitchell struggled to stay healthy, and promptly lost his starting gig to Christian McCaffrey. Mitchell didn't play at all in 2024 after suffering a season-ending hamstring injury before the season started in August, and in the wake of departing for Kansas City, the running back sent a thank you message to San Francisco in a post on social media, which quickly yielded a response from Juszczyk.
“You know you’re my brother for life and I’m so proud of you… but a pat and go pic?? You done made too many big plays for this! Love you man!” Juszczyk commented on Mitchell's Instagram post.
Article Continues Below
Kyle Juszczyk looking to find new home after 49ers release

While Mitchell has landed with a new team, Juszczyk is still looking for a new landing spot after the 49ers recently released him. Despite playing a dying position at fullback, Juszczyk has been the best player at the spot for nearly a decade now. He was a Pro Bowler in all eight seasons he spent with San Fran, while also being a first-team All Pro in 2023, proving he's still at the top of his game.
Not every team utilizes a fullback, but Juszczyk offers value as a jack of all trades. He can handle the ball out of the backfield, particularly in short yardage situations, run routes as a receiver, and block effectively as well. Even though the Niners moved on from him, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Juszczyk find a new home on the free agent market in the near future.