TAMPA, Fla. -- Matt Breida had one of his best games of the season in the 49ers' 27-9 loss to the Buccaneers. It was a nice homecoming for the second-year pro, even if it came in defeat.
Breida finished with 14 carries for 106 yards, and he also caught three of his four targets for 34 yards. He now has hit the 100-yard mark three times this season, with Week 2 against the Lions (138 yards on 11 carries) and Week 10 against the Giants (101 yards on 17 carries) the other games in which he passed the century mark.
But this week's performance meant more to Breida, who was born and raised just outside of Tampa and whose parents still live in the area. He recalled what it was like as a child watching now-49ers general manager John Lynch play for the Bucs, along with the experience of now coming back to Raymond James Stadium as an NFL player.
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“It’s always good to do it in front of your family and friends that are watching," Breida said after the game. "The ones that I grew up with.”
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While Breida knows it’s more important for the 49ers to win games, it still was nice to show his hometown how far he has come -- from being an undrafted free agent to becoming the 49ers' starting running back.
After Breida made the 49ers' roster out of Georgia Southern in 2017, he finished his rookie season as Carlos Hyde's backup, carrying the ball 105 times for 465 yards and two touchdowns.
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Now, Breida is on pace for a 1,000-yard season. He already has 127 carries for 738 yards and three touchdowns. He also has proven himself a reliable receiver with 18 catches for 158 yards and two TDs.
The 49ers had planned for free-agent acquisition Jerick McKinnon to be their No. 1 running back. But after losing McKinnon to a season-ending knee injury before it even began, Breida became their guy.
Others might be surprised at Breida’s success, but he isn’t.
“I always thought I could be this kind of running back,” Breida said. “At the end of the day, I just want to win.”