Despite a trade request that ruffled some feathers within the building, running back Raheem Mostert never thought he'd leave San Francisco.
After finally getting a reworked contract that included an incentivized raise, Mostert cleared the air Wednesday, noting he never really thought the 49ers would ship him out of town.
"It was long, and (there were) difficulties," Mostert said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. "But in the end, we were able to sit down and have communication, and it's a blessing to be here. It's one of those things where I knew it was going to be right regardless of how it played out. I knew that, in the end, it was going to be all right, and I was still going to be a Niner no matter what."
Mostert burst onto the scene last year, leading the 49ers with 1,108 rushing yards and 13 rushing TD in 2019, playoffs included. His desire to be paid as a running back, rather than under the special teams contract he'd signed, led to a trade request after frustration boiled over from his side when the deal couldn't get done.
After initially being miffed at the public request from Mostert's camp, GM John Lynch met his top back in the middle and the sides smoothed things over.
The 28-year-old compared the brief squabble to a family spat all sides knew would blow over.
"This is a family, and we all understand that," Mostert said. "As you can see, what we've been through these past three, four years with the organization, going 6-10, then the following year, 4-12, and then the Super Bowl run last year, it just tells you that this is a family-based organization.
"We all really pride ourselves on being family. What family doesn't have those problems? I argue with my little brother. It's one of those things where I argue with him, but I also love him at the same time. That's what's going on here.
"We eventually got it fixed, and like I said, it's a blessing, and I'm glad to be here."
Mostert is expected to split carries with Tevin Coleman and Jerick McKinnon (if healthy) this season as coach Kyle Shanahan prefers to use a committee approach in his backfield.
