Bumpboxx 49ers: What is it, and what song do the Niners walk out to?

Every NFL player has their own pregame ritual. In a locker room, there are all sorts of methods. Some players listen to classical music to calm their mind, others listen to fast-tempo songs to amp themselves up, some players are superstitious and put their socks and pads on in a certain order.

In the past, team introductions happened with players walking out of the tunnel one at a time, in order of their status and impact on the team. The 2001 New England Patriots broke that tradition by electing to be introduced as a team during Super Bowl 36. That controversial decision became the norm. Since then, teams have tried to put their own unique twist on their introductory jaunt out of the tunnel.

The story behind the San Francisco 49ers boombox tunnel walkout

The San Francisco 49ers dance onto the field with a boisterous boombox hoisted on the shoulders of assistant equipment manager Rob Lloyd. The song playing on the 49ers' customized Bumpboxx is generally chosen by wide receiver Deebo Samuel and left tackle Trent Williams, who lead the team out of the tunnel dancing and singing along.

Samuel can trace the origin of the 49ers' unique tradition back to a specific game: a Week 14 road matchup against the New Orleans Saints during the 2019 NFL season.

"It came about in 2019 when we played the Saints," Samuel recalled. "Roddy Rich had dropped a song, 'The Box,' and we were vibing with that that year."

What song do the San Francisco 49ers play?

If the 49ers win, the song stays the same. If the 49ers lose, a new song is chosen the following week. During the 49ers' 12-game winning streak in the 2022 NFL season, the song that led the team out of the tunnel was "Won't Step on Me" by NBA YoungBoy.

“Deebo is one of the best players in the league,” defensive tackle Arik Armstead said. “And so having him on our team, having him on the field, we feel his energy when he’s making plays. He’s inspiring us on defense as well, because of how he plays the position and delivering punishment to opposing defenses. So, having him out there is gonna be great.”

Notably, both Samuel and Williams were out with injuries during San Francisco's three-game losing streak earlier this season. Samuel suffered a hairline fracture in his left shoulder during the regular season, and he aggravated that same shoulder during the win against the NFC Divisional Round game against the Green Bay Packers. Throughout the week, the dynamic receiver's status for the NFC Championship Game was in doubt. While it remains to be seen how well Samuel's shoulder will hold up, he is expected to play — and, perhaps just as importantly, to guide the Niners out of the tunnel.