DeForest Buckner admits he had ‘some butterflies' in unforgettable 49ers return

DeForest Buckner DeForest Buckner admits he had ‘some butterflies' in unforgettable 49ers return 49ers DT DeForest Buckner admitted he had "some butterflies" in his unforgettable San Francisco return on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. By Tristi Rodriguez • Published November 8, 2026 • Updated on November 8, 2026 at 8:05 pm SANTA CLARA -- For the days and hours leading up to Sunday's matchup between the 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders, all eyes have been on DeForest Buckner as the star defensive tackle braced for his return with San Francisco. Cameras followed him around all throughout his pregame warmups while fans screamed his name trying to get the attention of the former No. 7 overall draft pick and 49ers fan favorite. Watch NBC Bay Area News free wherever you are WATCH HERE Even George Kittle's dad, Bruce, had a seemingly sentimental, lengthy talk with Buckner before the two posed for a photo. "Everything happens for a reason," Buckner said to Bruce. "Happy to be back here." The two exchanged more words before Buckner nodded his head and said one final thing. "Let's do it." “Everything happens for a reason. Happy to be back here. … Let’s do it.” - DeForest Buckner to Bruce Kittle 🤝 pic.twitter.com/cDP72iVLxJ — Tristi Rodriguez (@tristi_r14) November 8, 2026 San Francisco 49ers NFL 4 hours ago Winners and losers from NFL trade deadline: 49ers, Jaguars, Raiders on list Breaking News 6 hours ago How veteran WR Keenan Allen boosts depleted 49ers' biggest position of need The band is back together, with Buckner, Deebo Samuel and Dre Greenlaw all returning to San Francisco this season after their own respective times away. And this time, they're keeping their heads down, with only one goal in mind. All three players -- and a large portion of San Francisco's current core -- were part of the 2019 team that fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. Now it's their mission to not just get there, but to win it. Nick Bosa was asked if he believes this defensive line is a Super Bowl-caliber group. "Yeah, we have the guys to do it," Bosa said after San Francisco's 38-17 win over Las Vegas. "We're going to keep getting better. It's funny, Buck came in, his head was spinning a little bit this week trying to get everything down, and it's just funny because when I came in the roles were reversed, but it's great to have him back and we have the guys to do it. ... We have depth, and we're going to keep getting better." Coach Kyle Shanahan was asked the same question, to which he gave a much more safe response. "Have opportunities for that stuff, but we’ve got a lot more work to do before we can say that," he said. For Buckner, he was just happy to be back on the field in red and gold. The 32-year-old said he could feel the energy as soon as he stepped onto the field, and he admitted he even was a little nervous heading into his first game back with San Francisco. “Definitely. I definitely had some butterflies today," Buckner said. "Obviously, my first game being back, I was definitely nervous, but I just had to tell myself, ‘Just go out there and play football. Go out there, do your job and have fun,’ and that's what we did. It wasn't the prettiest win, but we came out with the win.” Buckner finished the game with one tackle and two QB hits. While it's the middle of the season, it's the beginning of what could be something really special for Buckner and this 49ers squad. Typically at every 49ers home game, star linebacker Fred Warner is introduced last before the game. But on Sunday, it was Buckner. George Kittle took credit for that, although there's no doubt the rest of the team wouldn't have wanted it any other way. “I definitely felt the love, and in that moment, I was like, ‘Man, I'm home.’ It was a cool moment, cool experience," Buckner said. "Obviously, Fred allowed me to go last, but it was pretty sweet." The 49ers hope Buckner's homecoming is more than a feel-good story, as they continue their Quest for Six with a player who can help them do just that. Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast This article tagged under: DeForest Buckner Kyle Shanahan Nick Bosa