Things got heated between the San Francisco 49ers' O-line compadres after their recent Super Bowl heartbreaker. Former University of Texas at San Antonio standout Spencer Burford found himself on the receiving end of some less-than-friendly fire from his own teammate Jon Feliciano. In a blitz of post-game blues and social media crossfire, Feliciano threw shade without pulling Burford's jersey into the spotlight, but the target was clear as day.
As MySA reported, Feliciano's hangxiety-driven tweet the day after the big game criticized the protection on a key play, where Chiefs' star Chris Jones put the heat on quarterback Brock Purdy. "A quick chop is not needed if the guy that was supposed to block him, blocks him," Feliciano charged, dancing around Burford's name but stepping on his toes all the same. Burford, cool under pressure, clapped back with a chill response, "Sheesh...I open up my app to this...get well soon bro..."
The beef was tenderized shortly thereafter with Feliciano siding back to teammate solidarity, saying, "Im sorry bro. I woke up hungover and being a b*tch. In trying to have ones back I hurt u. It's f-Ed up and I apologize. You got nothing but greatness ahead of you. I'm sorry bro." These were warm words trying to patch up the split in the locker room tapestry that had been momentarily frayed.
What's interesting is the echo of respect for Burford from another angle. Earlier, Burford had sung praises for Purdy, claiming "He's been that dude since he stepped in," during an interview with Fox San Antonio. Brock Purdy, stepping into a leadership vacuum, quickly became a centrifugal force for the 49ers, even amidst the swirl of Super Bowl disappointment. Burford's acknowledgement of Purdy's prowess, however, hasn't been enough to shadow the offensive line drama post-Super Bowl.
The young lineman Burford, however, sees the loss as kindling for future triumphs. "It makes you hungrier... You've got to keep going, you've got to get it," he told Fox San Antonio. With a full season still to reflect and rebuild from, the 49ers' line chemistry — currently under reconstruction — will need to frame a stronger front for the battles ahead. And if they're looking to secure a win larger than any social media spar, they'll need to block out more than just the defensive onslaught from opposing teams.
