It was quite a difficult start for the defensive tackle! He was leaving his home, the San Francisco 49ers, where he spent nearly nine long years of his career. After getting drafted by the 49ers, he made his presence known with his elite performance. He was a 4x Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee and had been as impactful off the field as he’d been on it. However, after all those years, he had to find a new home. As unexpected as it was, he had to get used to playing a new position. Instead of starting on the inside of the defensive line, he was moved to a rotational edge piece.
This even had an impact on his game. He only had two sacks all season, the lowest he’s had in any year where he played most of the games. This was back in 2024. After getting released by the 49ers, he had signed a three-year deal during the offseason with the Jaguars. As per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he signed a deal valued at $51 million “It was a position change for me. Next year [I] got a lot planned, so I’ll just leave it at that,” he told Florida Times-Union. And he was right.
He went through a lot of changes. Now, speaking of playing under Liam Coen, Arik Armstead said in a post training camp interview, “Yeah, last year was last year. I’m excited about working with this new staff and they’ve been very open and receptive, having a lot of conversations. I think it’s been a great relationship and I’m excited to continue this year and start this journey together,”.
Initially, Armstead saw limited action. He logged just 70 snaps between the right and left defensive tackle spots, as per PFF. Following this, there was another change for the Jaguars. The team struggled, finishing 4-13. As the season ended, the squad parted ways with the then-head coach Doug Pederson. He was replaced by Coen, who ushered in a new era for the team. And Armstead is quite clearly excited about it.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Scouting Combine Feb 25, 2025 Indianapolis, IN, USA Jacksonville Jaguars coach Liam Coen speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Indianapolis Scouting Combine Indiana United States, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKirbyxLeex 20250225_jhp_al2_0019
The defensive tackle had a breakout year back in 2019, notching a career-high 10 sacks while spending most of his time at left end. But while Armstead adapted to his new role and environment in Jacksonville, the sting of how things ended with the 49ers stayed with him.
Arik Armstead opened up about his disrespect from the 49ers
With stars like Nick Bosa and Javon Hargrave anchoring Kyle Shanahan‘s San Francisco 49ers’ defensive line, the team found itself short on financial breathing room. Letting Armstead walk was business. Speaking on his podcast Third and Long, Armstead opened up about the offer San Francisco made before his departure.
“They extended an offer to me of $6 million for a one-year deal with incentives to go up to $8 (million). When they sent that over, I did feel extremely disrespected. I don’t feel that that level of compensation is [anywhere] near the type of player that I am,” Armstead explained. It hurt him.
The Jaguars player didn’t make the Pro Bowl or earn All-Pro honors in 2023, but the tape and the numbers tell a different story. He tallied 27 tackles and five sacks, and earned a solid 81.9 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus. Those figures make a good case for more than $6 million, especially for a veteran with leadership presence and playoff experience.
Despite the disappointment, Armstead made it clear he holds no bitterness toward the 49ers. His time in San Francisco helped define his career, and he emphasized the deep friendships and bonds he built within the organization. “Heading into this season, I kind of felt like I might play myself out of being in San Francisco. I kinda had that sense and feeling a bit heading into the season that it might be a possibility. … I understand the business of football and I can see it. It would be hard to have two $20 million defensive tackles and a $30 million defensive end and all this talent on our team; it’s an abundance of talent,” Armstead said.
Rather than holding on to the bitterness, he looks toward performing his best in the season.
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