Whether it’s blocking for Christian McCaffrey or being a pass-catching option out of the backfield for Brock Purdy, fullback Kyle Juszczyk has proven to be one of the most valuable players in the San Francisco 49ers‘ offense.
Here’s a closer look at the career of the 49ers’ not-so-secret offensive weapon.
Kyle Juszczyk’s Career Rewind
The man nicknamed “Juice” was a fourth-round pick out of Harvard by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2013 NFL Draft. After playing tight end in college, Juszczyk was converted to fullback but saw very little action on the field early on.
But after getting on the field for only four offensive plays as a rookie in 2013, he became a starter at fullback the following season. In all, over the last 10 seasons, Juszczyk has started 127 of 156 games played.
He is one of the most accomplished players at his position in the entire NFL. After making the Pro Bowl for the first time in 2016 — his final season with the Ravens — he joined the 49ers in 2017 and has made the Pro Bowl in all seven seasons in San Francisco.
And this season, thanks to the Associated Press returning the fullback position to their All-Pro list for the first time since 2015, Juszczyk was able to add to his career accolades. He earned a first-team All-Pro selection in 2023.
The Best Fullback in the NFL?
Juszczyk has not had his hands on the ball much throughout his career. His 324 career touches are 15 fewer than McCaffrey had in the 2023 season (339). And yet, he remains a key cog in the 49ers’ offensive machine.
This season, Juszczyk was on the field for 495 total offensive snaps and received all of 19 touches. It was his lowest total of touches in a season since his second year in the league in 2014.
Even so, his ability to come out of the backfield and catch passes (he had 14 of them this season) is a trait few fullbacks possess.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who did not carry a fullback on his roster this season, acknowledged this week in a story in USA Today that Juszczyk is an important piece of the San Francisco offense.
“His flexibility within the offense makes it a valuable position for them,” Reid said this week of Juszczyk.
Juszczyk caught just two touchdown passes this season, but that still matched his total of the previous two seasons combined. And even though he has averaged only 32.4 touches per season over the last 10 years, he still has 21 career touchdowns, including 16 touchdown receptions.
He has also proven to be a productive player during the postseason. Juszczyk has 14 receptions in 13 career playoff games, and his lone postseason touchdown catch came in the biggest game of his career, Super Bowl 54. His 15-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter was the first of the game for the 49ers and helped to tie the contest at 10-10.
Juszczyk’s coach acknowledges that the traditional fullback is a dying breed in the NFL, and being a versatile player like Juszczyk will keep you on the field.
MORE: Who Is Kristin Juszczyk?
“It’s really hard if you’re a fullback who can only line up in the fullback position — because how many plays are you going to do with them?” San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said in an interview with ESPN.com last December. “… That’s why guys have to be versatile.”
In Year 11, there still is no one at the fullback position more versatile than Juszczyk.
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