SANTA CLARA — Colton McKivitz is like one of those inflatable punching bags that springs back at his aggressor. The harder you it it, the faster it comes back.
McKivitz, the 49ers starting right tackle, has taken his share of punches. He got left one-on-one too many times against Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt a year ago and the result was three sacks. He’s taken shots in the form of grades from analytics services like Pro Football Focus, McKivitz gets blindsided from fans on social media, all of whom of course understand every nuance of line play.
Then there are the blunt and occasionally caustic reviews from line coach and run game coordinator Chris Foerster, who really does understand every nuance of line play.
No matter the punishment, whether physical or verbal, none of it has been enough to get McKivitz off the field.
When Mike McGlinchey left for Denver in free agency before the 2023 season, McKivitz got a chance to start and he’s been there ever since. A year ago, McKivitz ran 1,064 offensive plays in the regular season and McKivitz was on the field for 1,040 of them — and of the 24 he missed, 16 came in the regular season finale when the 49ers were resting regulars against the Los Angeles Rams.
After playing every snap in three playoff games, McKivitz has played all 405 snaps in six games this season. His last two may have been his best, and anyone paying attention would have noticed McKivitz and Jake Brendel created a hole set Isaac Guerendo free on a 76-yard run and then also sprung Kyle Juszczyk on a 6-yard touchdown to close out the scoring.
Colton McKivitz in between plays at a 49ers’ practice session.
McKivitz knows the score when playing on the same offensive line as left tackle Trent Williams, a 36-year-old marvel who is one of the most gifted linemen to ever play the position. His own mistakes are magnified even more when Williams is at his Hall of Fame best.
“Some touchdowns coming off the right side this year,” McKivitz said Monday after practice. “It’s a nice feeling and I’m taking a lot of pride in that. Not everything’s on 71’s (Williams) side.”
McKivitz, 28, will be in his familiar spot Sunday when the 49ers (3-3) host the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (5-0). He’ll see a lot of George Karlaftis, the Kansas City left end who had 10 1/2 sacks last season and is looking to build off the one he’s got this year through five games.
The season opened with McKivitz faring well in a 32-19 win over the New York Jets, then by his own standards dropped off in losses to Minnesota and the Los Angeles Rams. Things were better in a loss to Arizona and the win over Seattle.
“It’s a lot better than the start last year. I hit a little bit of a rough spot in Weeks 2 and 3, but better the last two weeks and I’ll start building off that,” McKivitz said. “I’m excited about that.”
McKivitz, 6-foot-6 and 301 pounds, adheres to Foerster’s reviews as well as that of his teammates when assessing his performance. His PFF reviews have been sometimes below average and sometimes scathing, although his 81.4 grade against Seattle ranked him fourth among tackles in the league.
Asked if he lends much credence to outside reviews, McKivitz said, “Not a chance. I think our system’s a lot different than every system out there. The way we come off the ball, create separation and control the line of scrimmage is how we do it. As long as I know how well I play and do does Foerster and the whole group, that’s my thing.”
Foerster has become accustomed to seeing McKivitz rebound from a bad block or a bad outing, something he considers essential to line play.
“When guys don’t have success, how do they bounce back?” Foerster said. “That’s the good thing about him. He has bounced back, and I think he learned from last season and he’s learned to accept what wasn’t a good game and why. The whys are important to him, as far as, `I’m doing this, this is why I’m getting beat.’ “
After making the 49ers as a fifth round draft pick out of West Virginia in 2020 as a reserve guard and tackle, McKivitz was dealt a harsh reality and was waived at the cutdown to 53 in 2021. He resurfaced on the practice squad and played in just one game — starting against the Rams at tackle when Williams was injured.
McKivitz has taken nothing for granted since, and played in 13 games as a reserve in 2022. It was a surprise when the 49ers didn’t go after a tackle to replace McGlinchey, but McKivitz has held the position with a vice grip.
He’s made a big impression on Dominick Puni, the third round pick who has stepped into the starting lineup alongside McKivitz at right guard.
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“He talked to the rookies about it, how he wishes he was more tuned in when he was a rookie,” Puni said. “He said he didn’t take advantage of things. You watch the little things — he’s always the first one to the huddle, and he does the same thing every day. He doesn’t miss. He never wavers. He’s always ready for the moment. I’m trying to learn from that.”
McKivitz takes his durability seriously, even if he realizes there is some luck involved.
“I take a lot of pride in that,” McKivitz said, knocking in his wooden locker for luck. “You’re going to take some hits in the NFL every week and in games. Staying healthy is the biggest thing.”