2012-GameRelease-Divisional

Player Feature Story
San Francisco 49ers notebook: Justin Smith 'hungry' for new season after team fell just short of
Super Bowl
By Cam Inman, San Jose Mercury News
Even Justin Smith thinks it's "pretty unusual" how much he's anticipating the 49ers' season. How much?
More than any other in his 12-year career.
That's because of how last season ended: an overtime loss shy of the Super Bowl.
"My whole life, I've never really moped around after a loss or this or that. But this is one that's burned my
ass the longest," Smith said Thursday. "I'm just like, 'Man.' It makes me that much more hungry."
Smith earned AP All-Pro honors last season, astonishingly doing so at two positions: first-team defensive
tackle, second-team defensive end.
But Smith refused to buy that his was a "career year." The 49ers defense, he contended, has been stout
for a while, and last season's success merely magnified his and his teammates' exploits.
"I really don't care one way or the other," said Smith, also a NFC Pro Bowl starter. "My total goal is to win
a championship before I finish playing."
En route to the NFC West title last season, the 49ers went 13-3 before knocking off the New Orleans
Saints in the divisional round, then getting eliminated 20-17 by the eventual champion New York Giants.
Instead of moping, Smith continued his constant presence at the 49ers facility, aside from a visit to his
native Missouri.
"We're two days out from our last game and he's back at it," general manager Trent Baalke said at
February's scouting combine. "He's already in the weight room, and he's got a full lather going. And I look
at the time and I go, 'What are you doing?' He said, 'It's either here, or baby-sit at home, so I'm here.' "
Smith didn't miss a day of the offseason conditioning program that concluded Thursday. That exemplified
his teammates' widespread attendance in these voluntary workouts, with only next week's minicamp
"mandatory" before summer break.
"The window is small," Smith said. "You can't say that about every year. In a couple years, we'll probably
lose a lot of people. That's just the nature of the game.
"There's a sense of urgency in that aspect, just talking with a lot of guys. We've got to push and get this
done sooner than later."
The 49ers haven't won a Super Bowl since their 1994 team claimed the franchise's fifth Lombardi Trophy.
Working in the 49ers' favor, Smith suggested, is how they've retained most of last season's key players
while also adding "more pieces."
Boxing also has been added to many players' off-field regimen, including Smith's. Its helped his hand and
foot speed. And it's fulfilled a desire for hard-hitting contact, something that's been banned from practices
by what Smith called "ridiculous" new rules.
Smith escaped last season without any significant injuries while extending his streak of 171 consecutive
starts (fifth-longest active streak in the NFL).
What will it take to put the 49ers in contention again?