NFC Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Rams, Aaron Donald

49ers

49ers QB Trey Lance says he tunes out what the media says about his readiness as San Francisco’s presumptive quarterback of the future and is only focused on preparing for the season ahead.

“In the most respectful way possible, it doesn’t change how I feel about you guys as people, but it’s not my job to care what you guys say or anyone else on social media,” Lance said, via ESPN. “For me, I care about what the guys in the locker room think and what my coaching staff thinks.”

Cardinals

Cardinals QB Kyler Murray said that he has the ability to see things before they happen, which is why he doesn’t overload himself in the film room.

“I think I was blessed with the cognitive skills to just go out there and just see it before it happens,” Murray said, via Cards Wire. “I’m not one of those guys that’s going to sit there and kill myself watching film. I don’t sit there for 24 hours and break down this team and that team and watch every game because, in my head, I see so much.”

Cardinals QB Trace McSorley believes that Murray does in fact have the ability to process things that others can’t. McSorley notes that Murray knows how to attack defenses and has a good grasp on the offense which allows him to create plays.

“Kyler can see the game in a way many can’t,” McSorley said. “He can see where he wants guys to be within concepts and the routes and is always trying to attack defenses. He’s always trying to make the big play and always trying to make something happen. He’s good at it, and it benefits him and our offense very well.”

Rams

Rams DT Aaron Donald said that he’s accomplished what he’s needed to during his playing career, and his key motivation for continuing to play would be to win another Super Bowl.

“It ain’t about the money, but it’s a business at the end of the day,” Donald said on the I Am Athlete podcast, via PFT. “That’s what you’ve got to see For me, it’s about winning. I don’t want to play football if I can’t win anyway, so I feel like if I got a real opportunity to win another Super Bowl, then it makes sense to play. But again, it’s still a business. We’ve got to handle the business side of things, and if that wasn’t to get handled then, you know, it is what it is type of situation. I’ll be fine regardless. But me talking about retirement, that was happening way before we won a Super Bowl. I’ve been saying that since I got into the league that I was going to play eight years and be done. That’s just what I’ve been saying. It just came out and then everybody think that, ‘oh, he said if he wins a Super Bowl he’s going to retire.’ Nah, I got teammates, coaches, my family who know about this. I said I’m going to play eight years, and I’m going to probably be done playing football. But winning a Super Bowl you get kind of a little addicted to it. I ain’t going to lie. I want to feel that again. That experience is like none other. If I was to play, it’s just to win another Super Bowl, but at the end of the day, it’s still a business and it got to make sense to me and my family.”

Donald admits that he does have confidence that he and the Rams will be able to come to an agreement on a contract extension, but is at peace if they don’t.

“I don’t need to play football to be fine. I’m fine,” Donald said. “I was blessed to play this game, to make the money I made, the accomplishments I made in eight years is, like, I’m complete. If I can win another one, that’s great. But if not, I’m at peace.”