Dre Greenlaw has established himself as a premier linebacker in the NFL, but the 49ers star hasn't forgotten his roots.
Ahead of Greenlaw's second Super Bowl appearance in five seasons, he took time Tuesday to make sure the world knows exactly how he got there by shouting out his adopted parents, Brian and Nanci Early.
"I wouldn't be here without them," Greenlaw told reporters gathered in Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII. "I probably wouldn't have been able to play football without them, just being in a group home at the time, and them just stopping their lives and being able to come into it, it's been huge."
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Greenlaw entered the foster care program when he was just 8 years old, moving from place to place without a permanent home before meeting Brian, then the Fayetteville High School football coach. The Early family took Greenlaw under their wing, hoping to mentor and help him in any way they could.
But when his foster home in Fayetteville was set to close, Greenlaw’s foster mother asked the Early family if they were willing to adopt him. Brian and Nanci, along with their daughters Camryn and Aivery, brought teenage Greenlaw into their family, eventually legally adopting him shortly after his 21st birthday.
Brian was able to watch Greenlaw play in the NFC Championship Game against the Detroit Lions last month -- an experience the 26-year-old reflected on as "special." He recently was hired as the new edge defensive line coach at Mizzou, excelling in his own football career while watching Greenlaw shine.
San Francisco 49ers
Find the latest San Francisco 49ers news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
Through it all, Greenlaw has had an incredible support system thanks to his family. As the linebacker hunts for the 49ers' sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, he reflected on what kept him going all those years ago.
"Just knowing where I came from and wanting better and more for myself," Greenlaw said. "I always wanted to invest in myself ... Understanding who I am as I person and understanding my purpose in this life."
Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast
