Clelin Ferrell wasn’t even a member of the San Francisco 49ers when the 2025 NFL campaign kicked off. But the former Clemson edge rusher hasn’t wasted any time making a major impact upon his return to the team.
After re-signing with the Washington Commanders in March, Ferrell was released in late August as part of final roster cuts. He was then signed by the Los Angeles Chargers in September and started this season with that franchise, appearing in one game prior to being released on Oct. 14.
On Oct. 29, the 49ers signed Ferrell to their practice squad, and he was promoted to the active roster on Nov. 15. It’s a reunion for the 49ers and Ferrell, who spent the 2023 season in San Francisco before suffering a season-ending knee injury in the final week of the regular season ahead of their Super Bowl run.
In 2023, Ferrell recorded 3.5 sacks across 17 games with the 49ers. This time around, he has already exceeded that production.
Ferrell has 4.0 sacks in four games with San Francisco this season, including two of those in Sunday’s 26-8 win over the Cleveland Browns. He also led the team Sunday with nine total tackles and had two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits to go with his two sacks.
“For me, it’s not taking it for granted,” Ferrell said during a press conference Sunday, when asked how he’s been able to come back to the 49ers and make such an impact so quickly. “When I came back, this team was right in the thick of it. At the end of the day, the biggest reason why I came back here was because I wanted to win. So, I’m just thankful for my teammates, coaches, everybody in the building just helping me get prepared and be ready for the moment. So, it was good. I’m excited.”
Ferrell was a healthy scratch a couple of weeks ago in Week 11, but says he didn’t feel vindication in his big performance on Sunday against the Browns.
“I wouldn’t say vindication,” he said. “I’m not owed anything from this team. My first two games, I was just trying to get back in the swing of things, was happy to go out there and help the team. But I’m just ready for the opportunity whenever it comes. So, I’m just trying to stay prepared.”
Ferrell, 28, is now in his seventh NFL season. He was originally drafted by the Raiders with the fourth overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Throughout his career with the Raiders (2019-22), 49ers (2023, 2025), Commanders (2024) and Chargers (2025), Ferrell has appeared in 94 games (57 starts) and registered 174 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 12 passes defended, 21.0 sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He has also appeared in four postseason games and totaled four tackles and one pass defended.
Ferrell’s career-high for sacks in a single season is 4.5 as a rookie back in 2019, and he’s now just a half-sack shy of that total this year. So, is Ferrell peaking in his career right now?
“We shall see, right?” Ferrell said. “For me, I think I’m just trying to stick to my process. At the end of the day, if you focus on results, you’ll always let yourself down. I’m just focused on the process, and I think the process really paid off today. So, I’m going to try to tune it up some more next week. I’ll look up at the end of the year and give you a better response on if I’m peaking or not.”
Ferrell played at Clemson for four years from 2015-18, when he started all 44 games he appeared in and tallied 166 tackles, 50 tackles for loss, 27.0 sacks, 51 quarterback pressures, seven pass breakups and five caused fumbles. He was a two-time All-American, a two-time national champion and won the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year Award and the Ted Hendricks Award in 2018.
Ferrell and the 49ers (9-4) have a bye this Sunday before returning to action on Sunday, Dec. 14 against the Tennessee Titans at Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
–Photo courtesy of Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images