It was a mere four years ago when 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio coached under the rule of another man surnamed Harbaugh. The 2008 NFL season was just about to kick off, and linebackers coach Fangio was in Baltimore. It was then when he took note of a player — but it wasn’t a linebacker. Read More

NEW ORLEANS — Making the game safer is making NFL players unsure what’s a legal hit. Players on both Super Bowl teams say they are confused about which hits are considered clean and which ones could lead to a fine. And it’s not just the guys on defense who are wondering about the future of pro football. “I think the rules will change a lot,” 49ers tight end Vernon Davis said Tuesday. “There’s already no helmet to helmet. Might be flag football, maybe.” Read More

NEW ORLEANS — When the NFL does a big event, they do it B-I-G. Granted, this is my first time attending a Super Bowl and also my first trip to New Orleans, so take it with a grain of salt. Read More

It was as if linebacker Ray Lewis, safety Bernard Pollard and the rest of the Baltimore Ravens’ defense set out to provide a quarter-by-quarter demonstration of how they do business. About 11 minutes into the AFC Championship Game against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, Lewis drew a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty for a helmet-to-helmet hit that pushed tight end Aaron Hernandez’s chin strap up near his nose. Read More