Joe Staley Says 49ers' 1st Win 'Felt as Good as Winning the NFC Championship'

Joe Staley reached the NFL's pinnacle when the San Francisco 49ers played in Super Bowl XLVII on Feb. 3, 2013. He will not return this year, as the 49ers waited until Week 10 to capture their first victory of 2017.

Per the Mercury News' Daniel Brown, earning a Super Bowl trip didn't feel as good as diminishing their odds of claiming the No. 1 draft pick by defeating the 1-8 New York Giants.

"I've been part of a lot of wins with this franchise over the 11 years I've been here," Staley said. "This win felt just as good as winning the NFC championship."

Although it's possible he was exaggerating a tad, the 33-year-old offensive tackle did not say that in jest.

“I mean, it was unbelievable. Because I know how close this team is. On the outside looking in, we're 0-and-9 and a young team.

“Not everybody sees what we see in the locker room. They don't understand how close we are. No one has ever wavered. No one has ever pointed fingers. We've all just buckled down. That's a tribute to Kyle [Shanahan] and the leadership group that he brought in.”

Despite fracturing his orbital bone two weeks earlier, Staley returned to block the Giants from submitting a single sack on quarterback C.J. Beathard. The 49ers must win one more game after Week 11's bye to avoid the worst season in franchise history.