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San Francisco 49ers rookie Malik Mustapha adjusts to NFL life in Bay Area

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San Francisco 49ers rookie Malik Mustapha adjusts to NFL life in Bay Area


NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – AUGUST 10: Malik Mustapha #43 of the San Francisco 49ers walks of the field after the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on August 10, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

With four minutes and 44 seconds left in the first half of the San Francisco 49ers’ first pre-season game against the Tennessee Titans, Malik Mustapha made a name for himself.

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The 22-year-old rookie safety had a monster hit that invigorated the 49ers’ defense attempting to make a goal-line stand. 

Four days after the electrifying tackle, in a oneon-one interview with KTVU, Mustapha said that was just the beginning. 

Right now, he’s focused on adjusting to life in the NFL both on and off the field. 

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Mustapha, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, had never been to the Bay Area before being selected by the 49ers, and like many first-timers, he was shocked by the cold summer weather.  

“I didn’t realize how cold San Francisco got,” Mustapha said with a laugh. “Santa Clara might be 80, next thing you know, it feels like 40 or something when I get to San Francisco.”

The first thing he did in San Francisco? Rent a small yellow GoCar and take in all the sights, sounds and food. 

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As a self-described Hibachi connoisseur, he said he has yet to find any Hibachi in the Bay Area that compares to that of the South, where he is from. 

He was disappointed at the lack of “YumYum” sauce, a mayo-based Japanese steak house sauce mainly used on grilled shrimp, chicken and vegetables. 

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“One of the waitresses looked at me like I was crazy when I asked for it,” Mustaha said laughing. “That was an adjustment for me.”

On the field, Mustapha wants to be a sponge and soak up as much knowledge from his teammates as he can. 

Fellow safety Talanoa Hufanga took Mustapha under his wing when he arrived in Santa Clara, even inviting him to his daughter’s first birthday party. 

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That gesture made a big impact on Mustapha, who moved across the country without any family nearby. 

“It was nice being around a lot of family, me coming here alone, it’s an adjustment, but at the same time I know I am here,” Mustapha said. “I know what I want to set up for my future.”

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Off the field, Mustapha’s siblings are the driving force behind his desire to dominate on the field. 

“They came into my life at a young age and changed my life for the better,” Mustapha said. “I had to be a second mom to them, but I depended on them as much as they depended on me.”

Mariam, 10, and Muhamahed, 12, live more than 7,800 miles away in Nigeria with Mustapha’s father.

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“I rarely see them, that’s why I’m trying to get to a point where I do what I’m supposed to do and get them over here and move them back to the States,” Mustapha said. 

He wants to bring his siblings to the U.S. to finish school and go to college, and Mustapha hopes football will be the catalyst to make that a reality. 

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“I always live by a quote: prove yourself right don’t prove other people wrong,” Mustapha said. “I don’t think I’ve arrived in any shape or form but at the same time I feel like I’ve taken a step in the right direction.”



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Women’s volleyball professional team headed to San Francisco

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Women’s volleyball professional team headed to San Francisco


Pro volleyball will soon be coming to San Francisco and this latest team is part of a surge of women’s sports.

League One Volleyball officially launched this year with six teams. Now the league has announced it’s expanding to nine teams, and that one of those expansion teams will be based in the city by the bay.

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Three-time Olympic volleyball medalist Kelsy Robinson Cook is on the ownership team for LOVB San Francisco, bringing professional volleyball to the city. “Can tell you it’s going to be amazing,” said Robinson Cook. “Then, when you bring in the fandom of the Bay Area and SF I think personally it’s going to make for an incredible atmosphere.”

Team ownership said starting a team in the Bay Area is a natural with colleges and universities in the region turning out top talent. “It’s the number one sport for women and girls and I think that just speaks volumes as to where we’re headed, not only in club and college, but professionally,” said Robinson Cook.

Pro women’s volleyball is part of a growing list of professional women’s sports teams calling San Francisco and the Bay Area home.

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The women’s professional baseball league announced plans for a team in San Francisco. Bay FC and the Golden State Valkyries are already proving there is a market for professional women’s sports.

When pro-volleyball was looking to expand, San Francisco was a natural choice. “You’re seeing Bay FC, the Valkyries, the success that they have, and this market loves sports, and they’ve also proven they love women’s sports,” said Robinson Cook.

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San Francisco leaders said the city has already proven that it supports pro-women’s teams, and will welcome professional volleyball. Mayor Daniel Lurie pointed to the city’s rich sports history and enthusiasm to support the home teams. “Now, as we saw with the Valkyries selling out every single home game last year, there is an appetite, there is a fan base, and this new league understands that,” said Mayor Lurie.

At this time, there are still a lot of questions up in the air, including exactly where LOVB San Francisco will play. Organizers say they have a lot of plans in the works to get the team ready to bump, set and spike starting in January 2027.

 

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Body cam footage released in South San Francisco police shooting

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Body cam footage released in South San Francisco police shooting


(KRON) — The South San Francisco Police Department released video Thursday showing what led up to two officers shooting a man who authorities said was armed with a knife.

On December 8 at around 5:10 a.m., police arrived at the 900 block of Sandra Court on the report of a man under the influence of drugs and making threats to kill himself. When officers made contact with the man, identified as 28-year-old Luis Francisco-Manzo, he initially complied with orders, authorities said.

Officer-worn body camera video shows Francisco-Manzo walking toward officers in the entrance hallway of an apartment complex with his arms raised. A small dog barks as officers give repeated commands. Suddenly, Francisco-Manzo appears in the entranceway next to officers as one calls out, “He’s got a knife.”

South San Francisco Police Department officers shot Luis Francisco-Manzo on December 8, 2025. Authorities said Francisco-Manzo charged at officers while armed with a knife. (Photo: South San Francisco Police Department)

Officer Brendan Hart, who has been with SSFPD for eight years, fired a Taser at Francisco-Manzo, but it did not have the intended effect, police said.

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Four gunshots are heard in the body camera video. Police said Officer Hart and Officer Martin Corona were the officers who discharged their weapons. Officer Corona has seven years of law enforcement experience with over four years at SSFPD.

(Photo: South San Francisco Police Department)

Francisco-Manzo was transported to the hospital in critical condition. On Thursday, authorities said he continues to recover in the hospital. No officers were injured in the incident.

The police shooting remains under investigation by the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.



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Pedestrian killed in San Francisco hit-and-run crash

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Pedestrian killed in San Francisco hit-and-run crash


A hit-and-run crash in San Francisco on Wednesday evening left a pedestrian dead.

Driver fled scene

What we know:

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According to the San Francisco Police Department, the crash happened around 6:05 p.m. in the 5500 block of Mission Street. The driver fled the scene after striking the pedestrian.

The victim died at the scene.

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Officers have not yet provided a description of the suspect vehicle involved in the incident.

No further details were immediately released. 

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