HC Kyle Shanahan Cuts 49ers Rookie from 53-Man Roster for Skipping the Post–Final Preseason Film Session
Santa Clara, CA — Just one day after the preseason finale, the San Francisco 49ers announced they had waived rookie Junior Bergen from the 53-man roster for missing the team’s next-morning film session. The decision landed at the most sensitive point of cutdown week and underscored the locker-room standard inside Levi’s Stadium.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan delivered a firm message : “If you can’t be there for your teammates in the film room the next morning, then what you did on the field doesn’t mean much. In San Francisco, discipline comes first; if you don’t respect the process, you won’t play for the 49ers.”
Internally , the post-finale review is a mandatory corrections day: the team goes through tape, position coaches grade every snap, and the coaching staff plus personnel department finalize rankings before locking the 53. Missing that checkpoint—whatever the reason—counts as a violation of preparation protocol, sending the wrong message about professionalism, especially for a fringe WR/returner whose path depends on special-teams value and day-to-day readiness.
Junior Bergen offered an explanation and took responsibility. He said a postgame travel issue caused him to arrive late and miss the meeting, even though he alerted staff at the last minute; he also expressed a desire to keep a door open, even via the practice squad: “I grew up dreaming of wearing the 49ers’ red and gold, and I believe I belong on this team. Missing the film session this morning is on me—even with the travel hiccup, I should’ve been more proactive. I’ve apologized to my coaches and teammates, and I’m asking for a real chance to keep competing, even if it’s through the practice squad.”
Procedurally, Bergen now enters the 24-hour waiver period. If unclaimed, the 49ers could sign him to the practice squad and evaluate week to week: special-teams impact (return depth/gunner), a small package within the game plan, and readiness to elevate when needed. However, a “missed meeting” at the final grading checkpoint is a significant demerit, meaning he must win back trust with meticulous habits and professional urgency on the practice field. Bergen has spoken up and is awaiting a final decision from the staff on the path forward.
Cutdown day is ruthless. A small slip away from the field can wash out an entire month of August work. Still, Junior Bergen’s story isn’t closed: from mistake to a chance at redemption—even if it starts with a modest foothold on the practice squad—where discipline is repaid with trust.
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