Deommodore Lenoir, a foundational piece of the 49ers’ restructured future, has been named the 2025 winner of the Dwight Clark Award.

The award honors the current 49ers player who best exemplifies the late wide receiver’s “spirit of teamwork and camaraderie.”

Lenoir, 26, will be the focus of a program at the Hammer Theater in San Jose on May 21 that includes 49ers legends. It is selected by a panel of voters from the media and team executives.

Instituted three years after Clark’s death from ALS in 2018, previous winners to collect the award’s bronze football include tight end George Kittle (2021), defensive tackle Arik Armstead (2022), linebacker Fred Warner (2023) and linebacker Dre Greenlaw (2024).

At a time when the 49ers were 6-8 and anticipating a major roster overhaul, the 49ers, with Lenoir heading into a free-agent year, locked him up for five years and a maximum of $92 million. It makes him the unquestioned leader of the defensive secondary after being a fifth-round draft pick out of Oregon in the 2021 NFL Draft, No. 172 overall.

Lenoir finished the season with 85 tackles, nine pass deflections, a forced fumble and two interceptions, but his contributions go beyond stats because of his rare position versatility.

Neither a prototype cornerback nor slot corner at 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds, Lenoir excels at both spots. He played as an outside corner along with Charvarius Ward and later Renaldo Green, then moved inside on some passing downs. He displayed the tenacity, toughness and coverage ability to defend both boundaries and between the hashes in an ear where most corners do one or the other.

Lenoir became the first player to sign an in-season extension since Greenlaw in 2022. Others who earned second contracts included Kittle (August 2020), Warner (2021), Deebo Samuel (2022), Nick Bosa (2023) and Brandon Aiyuk (2024). Kittle received his third contract this week, a four-year deal worth a maximum of $76.4 million.

“DMo’s been a stud. He is exactly what you want a 49er to play like,” coach Kyle Shanahan said last December.

— Jerry McDonald

Ross Dwelley, who played six seasons with the 49ers as a reserve tight end and special teams player, has returned to the franchise after spending one season with the Atlanta Falcons.

Dwelley has 45 career receptions for 523 yards and five touchdowns in 101 games. He played in 17 games last season in Atlanta and caught one pass for five yards while playing 105 snaps on offense and 166 on special teams. He joins Kittle, free agent Luke Farrell, third-year Brayden Willis and Jake Tonges on the roster.

GOLF

Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler padded his lead in the PGA’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson in McKinney, Texas, shooting an 8-under 63 to reach 18 under through 36 holes as one of the early finishers in a weather-delayed second round.

About half the field didn’t get to complete the round after a six-hour delay, the last of the players not teeing off until about 15 minutes before sunset.

Play was suspended for darkness with Scheffler leading Sam Stevens by six shots. Patton Kizzire and Will Gordon, who both opened with 64s, were 2 under for the day and three shots behind Scheffler when the weather delay hit.

MOTORSPORTS

Kimi Antonelli became the youngest pole-winner of any Formula 1 event in history when the 18-year-old Mercedes driver won the top starting spot for the sprint race ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.

He will start today’s sprint race alongside current F1 points leader Oscar Piastri of McLaren, who lost the pole by .045 seconds to Antonelli.

TENNIS

With the help of painkillers, Casper Ruud overcame a rib ailment to defeat Francisco Cerundolo 6-4, 7-5 and reach the Madrid Open final.

Ruud will face Jack Draper, who beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the other semifinal.

HORSE RACING

Unbeaten filly Good Cheer rallied on the outside through the slop to overtake Tenma by the final furlong and win the 151st Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. Trainer Brad Cox watched the 6-5 favorite win in 1:50.15 with Luis Saez aboard.