MIAMI — The 49ers’ captains have a secret, and I couldn’t crack their code Tuesday in the waning minutes of their Super Bowl media session.

My investigative reporting revealed only so much. The 49ers’ fearless leaders wouldn’t squeal. On what, exactly? What, indeed.

Allow me to take you inside the conference room, where 10 selected players met the press, at the downtown Miami Hyatt. This is how my sleuthing began with 10 minutes left in the hour session:

1. Defensive end DeForest Buckner’s podium

Asked by a reporter what was the most memorable, crazy moment of Super Bowl Opening Night’s media spectacle, Buckner cracked open the door on this mystery:

“We, the captains, before we went on stage, we all shared a moment. It was pretty cool. Obviously. I’m not going to say what we did. But I thought we shared a pretty good moment.”

Then Buckner turned to his right and shot me a look with a mischievous smile. Onward!

2. Left tackle Joe Staley’s podium

My sly approach was to ask Staley about the camaraderie among the captains. He described that simply everyone on the team is “really fun to be around,” that it’s “very unique” about a “genuine” family atmosphere.

None of that is revealing news, so I was more direct: “What did you captains do before you took the stage last night at Media Night?”

“Um, we did a whole bunch of press stuff that we had to do upstairs,” Staley replied.

Was there not a moment together?

“No,” Staley said. “What are you talking about? I don’t know.”

He smiled, paused, then relented: “We had a moment.”

Care to elaborate?

“No. That’s between me and my captains.”

3. Cornerback Richard Sherman’s podium

Take II on my captain-camaraderie angle. “Oh my God, we’re a fun group of guys. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, and I’m at the forefront of that. It’s a great group of guys. If they could pick the captains all over again this season, they’d pick the exact same guys, because they are the leaders of this team on and off the field.”

Sherman then extolled the virtues of fellow captains, one by one, such as praising Jimmy Garoppolo’s humble nature and how the quarterback might not even want to go on stage and accept a potential Super Bowl MVP award.

Time for a more direct approach and ask about Monday’s pre-stage, under-wraps activity: “Yeah, yeah, it’s a special bonding moment between us and the staff. It was cool, something we’ll always remember.”

Sherman erupted into laughter, begged to answer another reporter’s question.

4. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s podium

Only one question was left before the shot clock expired for the media, and I managed to arrive just then to try the “captain-camaraderie” approach.

“It’s been really good. What we did last night was real fun and everything. It’s a great group of guys.”

What exactly did the captains do?

“We went out and shook the hands and everything. Is that what you’re asking about?”

At this point, I still didn’t know what I was asking about.

“All that stuff, being together, it’s a rare group to be with.”

5. Tight end George Kittle’s podium

Nope, time expired, no chance to see if Kittle, their fifth and final captain, would spill the beans.

As the captains and five other players were whisked away after the press conference, I circled back to Buckner. He laughed. He wouldn’t give it up. It was their secret.

Therein lies the point of all this: to paint a picture of a tight-knit group.

What was clear as day in that conference room 14 hours later was how the 49ers captains, all seated apart, bit their lips and wouldn’t let anyone know their clubhouse password, their secret handshake, or, hmmm, perhaps meeting back stage Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who, hmmm, just launched Teremana Tequila.

One person – not a captain — who witnessed this mysterious moment explained the captains merely huddled with coach Kyle Shanahan and soaked in the moment, before making their Super Bowl introductions inside Marlins Park.

The 49ers have an unspoken bond through not just their captains but the whole roster and organization. They are in the Super Bowl because of a team-oriented mentality that’s built over wins and losses. And because of cherished moments behind the scenes that sometime don’t need to be explained, not to outsiders.