Smith is scheduled to make $9.625 million next season, but general manager Scot McCloughan has already said Smith will not return at that price. When asked if he would accept a pay cut, Smith answered, "Absolutely. Absolutely."

The 49ers have not addressed the issue, yet, with Smith or his representative.

Smith said he has a good rapport with Mike Singletary, the interim coach who is making a strong bid for the permanent job. However, it is not known exactly if Smith would be a fit if offensive coordinator Mike Martz returns next season.

"I think that'll depend on how things shake out around here -- and what happens," Smith said. "And, obviously, what happens in the coming months, that'll dictate a lot of things."

--Niners newcomer Isaac Bruce, a 14-year veteran, was voted by his teammates as the winner of the club's most prestigious honor. Bruce won the Len Eshmont Award as the player who best exemplifies the inspirational and courageous play of Eshmont, a member of the 49ers' first team in 1946.

"That's the biggest thing, whenever your peers vote for you for anything," Bruce said. "That stands up more than anything else because they're around you every day."

--Defensive end Justin Smith was voted winner of the Bill Walsh Award or MVP. Smith is the fourth-leading tackler with 86 stops. He also has five sacks, a club-leading 51 quarterback pressures, three passes defensed, a forced fumble and an interception.

"I'm just glad I get to play with these guys," Smith said. "I think we have a lot of stuff to build on. It's just one of those things that we need to carry forward, finish out strong and use it to build on for next year."

--Linebacker Takeo Spikes was honored as the Hazeltine/Iron Man Award for the team's most courageous defensive player.

"It's a big honor," Spikes said. "I didn't realize what I've won until it was explained to me. The long hours, the long days that I spent here at the facility on a consistent basis, for it not to go unnoticed, that's what I'm most proud of."

--Center Eric Heitmann was named the winner of the Bobb McKittrick Award, for courage, intensity and sacrifice on the offensive line. Heitmann won the award for a third consecutive season. McKittrick coached the 49ers' offensive line for 21 years. He died in 2000 from cancer.

"I did not get to know him," Heitmann said. "I did get to play with some offensive linemen that had been coached by him. Everything you hear is ... he's a legend."

--Wide receiver Dominique Zeigler won the Thomas Herrion Memorial Award, given to the rookie or first-year player who makes the most of his opportunity. Herrion, who was battling for a roster spot during training camp in 2005, died shortly after an exhibition game from a heart condition.

BY THE NUMBERS: 60 - Receiving yards needed by receiver Isaac Bruce to move past Tim Brown and into the No. 2 spot all-time in NFL history. Bruce has 14,875 receiving yards, compared to Brown's 14,934. Jerry Rice is the all-time leader with 22,895.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "The main thing is the way this team has kept fighting when it could have went either way. I've been on some teams in the past where it probably would have went the other way, but in this one guys kept fighting, kept plugging, trying to make the most out of it" - 49ers defensive end Justin Smith on how the team has responded after being eliminated from the playoff hunt.