San Francisco 49ers pass rusher Dee Ford joined "Good Morning Football" on Tuesday and discussed his new team at length. The 49ers in March sent a 2020 second-round draft pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for Ford. He is one of two players brought in this offseason to help bolster the team's struggling pass rush.
Ford is excited to join such a storied franchise. It hit him when he walked into the building and saw the five Lombardi trophies on display in the lobby.
"It feels amazing," Ford told Peter Schrager. "First of all, being at the facility, it's sort of a reminder of how established they are … This is real. The 49ers is a very storied franchise, and I'm definitely happy to be a part of it."
Ford's stock skyrocketed after a career-high 13 sacks last year. It was the second time over the past three seasons the pass rusher recorded a double-digit sack total. Ford credits much of that success to finally being healthy.
"I was coming off my second back surgery," Ford told Kyle Brandt. "Being healthy was the most pivotal part but consistency, man. Consistency."
The other pass rusher acquired this offseason is No. 2 overall draft pick, Nick Bosa. The two will bookend the 49ers' revamped defensive front. Bosa, of course, received some negative publicity surrounding some of his past social media activity. Ford, like the rest of Bosa's teammates, waited until he met Bosa before judging him.
"Let me just say this: I met the person," Ford told Kay Adams. "The person is a great guy. That's the first step. I understand what was said before he even came, step foot on the facility. The person is great, and that contributes to what comes out on the field, your product that you put out on the field. That person is great.
"Of course, the athletic things will show on the field, so I'm looking forward to seeing what he will do."
No conversation would be complete without bringing up quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Ford was asked to compare his new signal-caller to his old one with the Chiefs, defending league MVP Patrick Mahomes.
"What's similar is that they're both great and they're both talented," Ford told Nate Burleson. "How they go about their work, and how they get it done is different. Every athlete is different. Every quarterback is different.
"I'm happy to see Jimmy healthy because I'm coming off of a serious injury. So that's the most important thing that I see with Jimmy; he's healthy, he's confident.
"They both bring different things to the table. I hate comparing quarterbacks, but Jimmy has a high ceiling, and we already know what Pat presented to us last year."