Former 49ers safety calls Ji’Ayir Brown ‘delusional’ over self-evaluation

Former San Francisco 49ers safety Donte Whitner didn't hold back while evaluating current 49ers safety Ji'Ayir Brown and his 2025 performance.

Brown apparently wasn't pleased with the criticism.

According to Whitner, Brown reached out directly to voice his frustration over the analysis. However, the former NFL safety made it clear that he has no intention of softening his evaluations.

"Ji'Ayir f--king Brown calling me on the phone, trying to check me, telling me I can't talk bad about him when he has a bad play," Whitner said on his podcast, The Grit Code. "He called me and Richard Sherman on the phone, that he used to respect us and that we're not keeping it G because we told the truth about his deficiencies.

"Ain't that some bulls--t? You f--king know that you played like s--t last year."

Whitner went on to ask Brown for an honest assessment of his own play. The response only reinforced Whitner's opinion.

"I said, 'Ji'Ayir, honestly, do you feel like you played like a top safety last year?'" Whitner commented. "He said, 'Yeah.' I said, 'So, you felt like you should have made the Pro Bowl last year?' He was like, 'Yeah.' In that moment, I knew that the kid was just f--king delusional."

Whitner added that he is always willing to hear valid counterarguments from players but won't change his evaluations simply because a player disagrees.

"Now, if you've got a valid point, I'm willing to listen to it," Whitner said. "But if you play like s--t, and I analyze it, I'm gonna continue to analyze it that way."

Whitner also cited his résumé to justify his analysis, noting his three Pro Bowl selections as evidence of his expertise. Whitner later detailed several areas where he believes Brown must improve to become a more complete NFL safety.

You can listen to that analysis below.

When pressed on why he disclosed the conversation with Brown on his platform, Whitner shared the following via social media: "We're not friends. Don't call my phone in a 'checkful' manner like you trying to press me… then expect privacy."

Brown is entering his fourth NFL season and has appeared in 34 games with 26 starts over the past two years.

Since being selected by the 49ers in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Brown has recorded 188 tackles, five tackles for loss, five interceptions, 16 passes defensed, and one forced fumble.

Pro Football Focus assigned Brown a career-low 63.6 defensive grade during the 2025 season, including a career-low 58.5 coverage grade. Opposing quarterbacks completed 25 of 40 passes for 251 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions when targeting Brown last season.