Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
This week, San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle
Javon Hargrave shared some behind-the-scenes details leading to this past season's NFC Championship Game between his new team and his former one, the Philadelphia Eagles. The defensive lineman shared that comments by one 49ers star provided some bulletin board material for the Eagles, who went on to beat the 49ers 31-7, advancing to Super Bowl 57.
Leading to the game between the two NFC powerhouses, Kittle was asked about the matchup and how the Eagles' roster compared to the 49ers'.
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We'll see on Sunday, won't we?" Kittle responded. "I mean, they've got six first-round draft picks on the D-line. They have physical guys in the secondary, physical guys at linebacker. Whatever you see on paper, sure.
"When you look on paper, you say, 'Yeah, we should be able to match physicality,' and things like that, and then you get on the field on Sundays and the film after the game will show you exactly what you're asking. I know we're going to come out and be violent and physical. I'm expecting them to be the same thing. But we'll see."
Apparently, those references to the Eagles matching up "on paper" lit a fire under the 49ers' opponent. Although, some of that might have been manufactured, as it sounds like Kittle was complimenting the Eagles roster while expressing confidence in his own.
The Eagles viewed Kittle's comments as disrespectful and were motivated by them.
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That was something," Hargrave said on Monday morning during an interview on 95.7 The Game. "Coach (Nick Sirianni) had put it up on a board and tried to give us a little motivation before the game. Just reminding us that, basically, they said we were a paper team, they were saying we were a paper team and stuff.
"That was something people took personally and just wanted to go out there and prove [wrong]. But I think that's all of us. When we hear someone talking down on us that just gives us a little motivation, so I think that was just a little motivation for us in that game."
One of Hargrave's former teammates discussed Kittle's comments after the NFC Championship Game.
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When he said that we looked good on paper, in a football world, we know how to take that," Eagles cornerback Darius Slay said during his podcast. "That's basically saying not too physical. As a defense, with us being one of the best defenses in the league as well, we took that as kind of disrespect."
Now that Hargrave and Kittle are teammates, will the defensive lineman bring up the comments with the tight end when the 49ers' offseason program begins next month?
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I'm not going to change nobody from being them, but I might say a little bit," Hargrave admitted on Tuesday during an interview on NFL Network's
NFL Now. "I might tell him kind of what we did when he said some of the things that he said that kind of motivated us.
"But some people just talk junk, and some people, that's how they perform. That's their thing. But, yeah, I wouldn't discourage him from being him."
Drake Jackson looks better prepared for his sophomore NFL season, both physically and mentally. The San Francisco 49ers defensive end spoke with reporters this week, and reports of his added bulk were visually confirmed. He estimates he has gained about 13 pounds since last season, and the work continues.
His defensive line coach, Kris Kocurek, believes the added weight and better preparation will help Jackson last through the rigors of an NFL season. The coach has seen "significant strength gain" in his young defender.
Jackson was inactive for six of the 49ers' final eight games last season, including each of the team's three playoff contests. Being forced to watch from
The 49ers ended their offseason workout program on Wednesday with their final session of mandatory minicamp. But before they made their way out the door for the summer, the team gave fans and reporters one last dose of info in the form of the final media sessions of the spring.
Among those speaking to reporters on Wednesday were defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, left tackle Trent Williams and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, as well as defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. Each session produced some interesting tidbits, which we'll review in this version of 49ers notebook.
Hargrave speaks
Despite being the splash free agent addition of the offseason for the 49ers, Javon Hargrave had not met with the team's beat reporters in person before Wednesday.
Arik Armstead is looking forward to the upcoming season. There is a lot to look forward to. His San Francisco 49ers have been to the NFC Championship Game three times over the past four seasons. They once again have a competitive roster and look to make another run at a Super Bowl championship.
Armstead joined Adam Schefter on the ESPN insider's podcast, discussing several 49ers-related topics.
New defensive coordinator Steve Wilks
Steve Wilks replaces DeMeco Ryans as defensive coordinator. Armstead had nothing but praise for his former coordinator, who left to be the Houston Texans' head coach, but looks forward to working with Wilks.
Wilks isn't expected to make any drastic changes in his first season helming the 49ers defense.
There is no tougher task for a defensive lineman than going against San Francisco 49ers tackle Trent Williams, a 10-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time first-team All-Pro. Luckily for 49ers defenders, Williams sat out much of this week's mandatory minicamp. That will change once the rigors of training camp begin at the end of next month.
Observing from the sideline has allowed Williams to evaluate the 49ers' prized offseason addition, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. What are the offensive lineman's early impressions?
"I hadn't seen him play (this offseason), but we got enough of him back in [the NFC Championship Game]," Williams told reporters on Wednesday. "But we know what he can do, and I was ecstatic that we ain't got to see him on the other sideline again.
