The path to success in the NFL is rarely linear and, for San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, the journey to him being one of the most important players in Super Bowl 58 has been far from straightforward.

Selected in the fifth round of the 2021 draft, Lenoir appeared poised to break out early as a rookie for a secondary lacking depth as he impressed while starting in a Week 2 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

A week later, however, Lenoir was picked on by Aaron Rodgers in a loss to the Green Bay Packers and headed to the bench, and didn’t receive significant action again until a Week 13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, which saw him give up a touchdown.

That was the end of his rookie year from a defensive perspective, and Lenoir started year two behind rookie Samuel Womack III on the depth chart. He ascended quickly, however, replacing Womack as the starting slot corner in Week 3 and then kicking outside when a torn ACL ended Emmanuel Mosley’s season in Week 5.

Lenoir thrived the rest of the way, establishing himself as an extremely dependable second corner across from Charvarius Ward and recording a pair of interceptions in the playoffs. This season, the 49ers’ belief in him has only continued to grow as they have used him in an even larger role, Lenoir starting on the outside on base downs and kicking inside to the slot on nickel downs.

A chip on his shoulder

Rather than being too much for him, that expanded and varied role has allowed Lenoir to take his game to new heights. His playmaking ability still obvious, Lenoir had 10 pass breakups and three interceptions in the regular season, and allowed a passer rating when targeted of just 75.2. It was 91.2 last year.

For Lenoir, a rookie year where he received early proof he could perform at the highest level only to then be given a reality check was an extremely useful despite being frustrating.

“It really just fuelled me, to you know to work harder. the next year,” Lenoir told A to Z Sports. “Me being the competitive person I am, it just kind of like put a chip on my shoulder.

Of the game against the Eagles, he added: “I felt like that. That game was like, the stamp of really like me being able to feel like, I can play in the league.”

His successful adaptation to a dual role in the secondary is not just the product of a chip on his shoulder, however, with Lenoir crediting a receptiveness to coaching and the work of the defensive back coaches for the ease of that transition.

“Really, I would just say being coachable,” said Lenoir when asked why he’s had such success playing two spots. “You know, I have to say I thank my coaches for that. Really just coaching me up as best as they can, and just instilling that in me and just believing in me, and you know, time after time, you know, I would mess up here and there, but them just having the confidence and meeting to know that I can do it.”

Proper preparation

On Sunday, Lenoir can’t afford to mess up in the biggest game of his life, one in which he’ll likely draw each of the Chiefs’ two top pass catchers, with Travis Kelce and Rasheee Rice each spending significant time in the slot.

But for Lenoir there is no magic formula to handling that challenge. Asked how he approaches that task, he kept it simple.

“Really just proper preparation. I feel like me putting in the work these past two weeks, you know, I'm ready for anything that they’re willing to throw,” Lenoir said.

That confidence comes in part from playing in a defensive backfield that has impressed amid adversity in 2023, the 49ers having lost All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga to a torn ACL and seen the likes of Ambry Thomas and Isaiah Oliver come in and out of the lineup as they worked through to find a solution in the slot due to the latter’s struggles.

How has that secondary managed to prosper amid such fluctuations?

“I will say just believing in each other and playing together,” Lenoir explained. “You know, I feel like when you down by so much, or you down by a lot of points in NFL the only people that can bring each other back is like really within, just believing in each other, believing that, you know, my guy is gonna be there to make that play. Just reading our keys and just really locking in and just playing together. We play together, we can't be stopped.”

It took time for Lenoir to earn the full trust of the 49ers, but he undoubtedly has it now, and it will take a heavy dose of belief and togetherness for his first full season as a starting corner to end with him helping San Francisco topple Patrick Mahomes. 

One thing’s for sure, there’s no doubt in his mind or that of anyone on the 49er sideline that Lenoir is capable of doing so.

49ers CB Charvarius Ward is the ultimate underdog story rising to NFL success and Super Bowl stardom

49ers CB Charvarius Ward and his arduous rise to NFL success and Super Bowl stardom