Arik Armstead becomes pillar of 49ers’ success during team’s run to NFC Championship Game

When the wide-eyed Arik Armstead first came to the 49ers as a first-round draft pick in the spring of 2015, the organization was hardly the envy of the league.

San Francisco had just gone through its seismic rift between head coach Jim Harbaugh and the front office, which led to Harbaugh’s departure. Armstead was the first player drafted in the post-Harbaugh era, brought in to replace dominant veteran Justin Smith.

Yet even for the Pleasant Grove High School alum’s wide shoulders, the burden of 49ers turmoil at that point was too great for any single player to bear. In the eight seasons since, Armstead has grown into an organizational pillar, and is among the reasons San Francisco’s dominant defense is the backbone of a team approaching its third NFC Championship Game in four seasons Sunday in Philadelphia.

“I think Arik is probably one of the most underrated players in this league,” 49ers right tackle Mike McGlinchey says. “I’ve seen him every single day since I’ve got here, and I know how much of a b---- it is to try and get him blocked. And he’s turned into such a great leader as well.”

On the field and behind the scenes, Armstead has developed into a quiet tone setter. Being a leader by example is often cliche, but when Armstead moves, so do his teammates. When he notices something on film, his teammates take notes. It’s a reason he’s been a team captain for the last three seasons and counting.

“You can see he’s not overly talkative and I think that carries a lot of weight for him,” McGlinchey said. “Because when he does speak, it weighs more and it’s heavier. He runs his life the right way.”

Nick Bosa came to the 49ers in 2019 as a rookie who was ready contribute. He was the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, known for his combination of rare physical gifts and technical skills as a pass rusher. The defensive end evolved into the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year.

Bosa joined a defensive line room littered with veterans. He could bounce ideas off Armstead, former Pro-Bowl pass rusher Dee Ford and DeForest Bucker, who was the long-time leader of the position group. The 49ers decided to trade Buckner in March 2020, in part because they thought Armstead could grow into that leadership role Buckner left behind, just like former general manager Trent Baalke thought Armstead could fill the void left by Smith.

To that end, Bosa has credited Armstead for helping him develop into what he’s become.

“I think Arik leads in his own way,” Bosa said this week. “And every once in a while, especially this time of year, he’ll do something like send a text early in the week. Because he watches more film than anyone, I would say, on the D-line, I think he’s kinda like the quarterback of our D-line where he’ll kind of set the stage of what we’re going to do this week to get it.”

Armstead’s texts come in the form of scouting reports and strategy for his teammates about what to expect in the upcoming game. And the one he sent this week might be the most important of the year given that Philadelphia’s offensive line is regarded as the best in the NFL.

Armstead’s best season came in 2019, when he led the league’s top-ranked passing defense with 10.0 sacks, playing defensive end and defensive tackle, leading to a five-year, $85 million contract the following spring. Armstead last month was also named the 49ers’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, the league’s most prestigious award, for the third year in a row.

Early adversity

There was a knock on Armstead coming out of the University of Oregon.

He never had more than 2.5 sacks in his three college seasons, which raised eyebrows when the 49ers selected him with the 17th pick in the draft. Detractors felt those concerns were justified when Armstead averaged just over two sacks during his first four NFL campaigns.

Some of that had to do with injuries. Armstead missed the final eight games of 2016 to have surgery to fix his shoulder. The next year he broke his hand in a way that prevented him from playing, even with a bulky cast.

He was also playing somewhat out of position, working as a space-eating defensive tackle rather than the attacking style he currently enjoys under position coach Kris Kocurek, who was hired before Armstead’s career season in 2019.

Armstead said that adversity helped shape him as a player and person, which he’s used to impart on his teammates.

“I’ve been in a lot of different situations in this league and have a lot of knowledge to share with everyone else,” Armstead said. “I pick and choose my times where I feel like I need to say something. And I know a lot of guys look up to me and look at what I do, and just try to show people how to prepare at a high level, how to play at a high level. I feel like that’s my role and my responsibility on this team, to help everyone as well. And go out there and do my job, too.”

Armstead also comes from a family with a strong background in sports. Guss Armstead, Arik’s father, has been a key figure in the Sacramento basketball community for years, working to develop professionals and preps since Arik was playing high school ball back at Pleasant Grove.

“I’ve been around professional athletes almost my entire life,” Arik said. “I’ve seen what it takes to achieve your goals and your dreams, and it takes sacrifice, hard work and preparation — doing the things that other people aren’t willing to do.”

Armstead Academic Project

A key reason Armstead has been the 49ers’ nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award has been his charitable work throughout Northern California, which has been largely focused on the Sacramento region through his Armstead Academic Project (AAP).

Armstead last fall invested $250,000 toward creating the Armstead Academy to advance education equity to underserved youth. Armstead’s charitable arm in Sacramento will continue to grow during the upcoming offseason.

The preliminary plan for the AAP this summer will include hosting 700 to 1,000 local students for a free football camp that will feature career path and college programming, executive director Aila Malik told The Bee.

Additionally, there are plans for a teacher wellness and appreciation day for some 700 teachers in the area that will include workshops in yoga, meditation, skill building for trauma, raffles, pedicures and haircuts. Armstead has also been in communication recently with Governor Gavin Newsom regarding the Black in School Coalition’s aim to improve funding and education equity for Black students in Sacramento.

Whether it’s for his work on the field or to improve the Sacramento community, Armstead’s fixture with the 49ers is all encompassing, and it has been a journey years in the making. The ultimate goal, of course, is to win two more games and help San Francisco earn its sixth Super Bowl.

“I think taking everything that you’ve learned,” Armstead said, “both X’s and O’s, football, but also the experiences of going through adversity and tough times here, it makes you appreciate the opportunity that we’ve had. For these past couple years, it’s my third NFC Championship Game. I’ve played in big-time games before. It’s not a first for me. I’m just excited and ready to go out there and help my team win.”