49ers Look to Overlooked McKyer for Aid in Defending Elway

Widely known fact: Midway through the first quarter of the 49ers’ 30-3 victory over the Rams in the NFC championship game, safety Ronnie Lott came from about 25 yards away to knock down Jim Everett’s pass to Flipper Anderson.

Little-known fact: On the next play, Anderson ran another deep pattern down the right sideline and momentarily broke free. Everett delivered what appeared to be a perfectly placed pass, but it again was knocked down to prevent a touchdown.

Who broke up the play? Hint: It wasn’t Ronnie Lott. Try cornerback Tim McKyer, the 49ers’ forgotten man of the secondary.

“Everybody hears about Lott’s play, but I break up a bomb on the next play and people don’t remember it,” McKyer said. “I’ve made a few plays this year, and I get overlooked. But that’s the breaks. I can’t help what other people think.”

The chip on McKyer’s shoulder has grown steadily, starting with a bitter contract holdout in training camp, a controversial groin injury, and his eventual suspension for insubordination. Since being reinstated Oct. 23, McKyer has been relegated to playing nickel back, while unheralded free agent Darryl Pollard has started at cornerback.

Coach George Seifert said Friday McKyer will not start in Super Bowl XXIV today at the Superdome. But the coach hinted McKyer could play a more prominent role in the regular defense than in previous weeks. McKyer spent most of Friday’s practice working with the starters.

“He’ll primarily be used more in the nickel package, but he has worked more in the base defense for this game than he has in the last couple of weeks,” Seifert said. “Tim’s an excellent football player, and we possibly will use him more in the game other than (in the nickel defense).”

McKyer has been at the center of controversy since training camp, when he held out for the second consecutive year. He eventually settled for a two-year, $1-million deal Aug. 26, but repeatedly has asked to be traded.

McKyer started at left cornerback in the regular-season opener but suffered a groin pull that limited him in the second half. He missed three games because of the injury and refused to play in a Week 5 game against New Orleans, saying that his injury was not fully healed. Team officials said three doctors had cleared him to play, and Seifert suspended McKyer for three weeks.

Upon being reinstated Oct. 23--after attempts to be traded--McKyer played almost exclusively in the nickel package, when the opposition lined up three or four wide receivers. Pollard played in the base defense as well as the nickel.

McKyer apparently remains troubled over his treatment by the 49ers but has kept a fairly low profile during Super Bowl week, choosing to “no comment” all inquiries about his status.

Does he want to be traded?

“No comment.”

Does he think he will be with the 49ers next year?

“No comment.”

Seifert has other concerns besides McKyer’s state of mind, particularly Denver quarterback John Elway. Seifert is willing to overlook McKyer’s previous emotional flare-ups to give the 49er secondary the best chance to contain Elway, so McKyer has an opportunity to play a major role.

Seifert said the key to containing Elway is maintaining good coverage.

“People will drop their coverage (against Elway),” Seifert said. “They’ll tend to look in the backfield to see what John’s doing. They’ll drop their coverage and leave a wide receiver open. It’s up to us to stay disciplined in our coverage and try to continually pressure him.”