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For a good portion of the season, a lot of San Francisco 49ers fans gave NFL Network’s Adam Rank crap for predicting the team would go 3-13. In Ranks’ defense, it’s tough to keep up with all 32 teams, and most of the national media will look at records, offseason signings, and make their prediction. That’s how it works. A more in-depth look at the 49ers would have told you that the roster was a shoo-in for a playoff spot, provided they stayed healthy. I predicted 8-8 or 9-7 because I didn’t think the team would be able to overcome injuries. The injuries didn’t stop, but a few young players took their games to the next level and helped the Niners reach the Super Bowl.
On Sunday, defensive lineman Arik Armstead wanted to get something off his chest. Last week, Armstead got a hold of a tweet from a well-respected writer who thought the 49ers should move on from Armstead and sign Jadeveon Clowney.
If you knew football and how to build a team you’d work in the front office of a NFL team instead of whatever you call yourself. Imagine that https://t.co/hjy9OFTNqe
— Arik Armstead (@arikarmstead) February 6, 2020
Objectively, Armstead was better by a good bit than Clowney last season. Against the run, pass, on film, and statistically. Armstead had 14 more total pressures, eight more sacks and hurries, and 15 more run stops. I can see why that’d get anyone fired up, especially when you factor in injuries.
On Sunday morning, Armstead took to Twitter to remind everyone how wrong Mr. Ice cream Cohn was about his season prediction:
hating so much wishing your stupid predictions came true. A know it all that is wrong majority of the time . The worse @grantcohn pic.twitter.com/wMmFrMTuU4
— Arik Armstead (@arikarmstead) February 9, 2020
Cohn predicted the 49ers would go 6-10. Heading into the season, based on recent history, it wasn’t far-fetched to predict the Niners would go below .500. The kicker here is in the video Grant says the people inside of the organization knew the team would be this good.
Arik had some time on his hands, as another person caught a stray:
It makes so much sense now. Sometimes you need a friends that’s like “ yeaaaaa we probably should do something else “ @BEASTwriter_ @grantcohn pic.twitter.com/AcLciyeT8q
— Arik Armstead (@arikarmstead) February 9, 2020
The reactions to this are the best. It seems as if people are on one side or the other. One reaction is, “Omg Cohn got owned go 49ers ‘Revenge Tour 2020’ here we come!” The other reaction is that it’s not a great look for a player to invest this type of time, and he’s not the leader the Niners need to give a lot of money to moving forward. It wouldn’t be the internet if the responses or reactions weren’t extreme.
I look at the exchange, laugh, and don’t think anything of it.