Nine years. That’s how long Arik Armstead dedicated his life and talent to the San Francisco 49ers.
However, his journey with the team came to a halt when asked to take a pay cut due to his alleged declining physical condition and productivity.
While he insisted that he harbored no animosity toward the 49ers organization — namely Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch, and the York family, Armstead confessed feelings of extreme disrespect in a recent podcast discussion.
“A lot has happened this offseason,” said Armstead, the master of the obvious. “I’m no longer with the 49ers. I have a new team. First off, I want to say I don’t have any animosity toward the organization, Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch, the York family. I did feel extremely disrespected. They extended an offer to me for (bleeped out) million dollars after nine years of me being there. The fans deserve to know what happened. I had to make some decisions.”
Arik Armstead on 49ers: I did feel extremely disrespected. https://t.co/xGdmhmpt7h
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 28, 2024
Armstead, having delivered slightly above average play for the 49ers, expressed strong distaste at the notion of a pay cut.
Despite his gradual slowdown, he had consistently proven his worth on the field.
The NFL star, drafted 17th overall back in 2015, exhibited significant contributions as a defensive tackle, recording 33.5 sacks, 43 tackles for loss, and 88 QB hits in his 116 games with the 49ers.
Armstead expressed excitement about reuniting with Baalke, the G.M who played an integral role in his entrance to the NFL, and now serving the same role with the Jaguars.
podcast, episode expected to drop on Thursday.
