Multiple 49ers and former 49ers are speaking out after a bizarre incident on Tuesday night, when 49ers defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw joined a public video chat with reporter Grant Cohn and engaged in a heated back and forth.
Kinlaw was upset with Cohn’s coverage of the team, and told the reporter to “”stop f***ing playing with me,” on multiple occasions. Kinlaw said he joined the chat to give his side of the story after Cohn claimed that Kinlaw confronted him at 49ers practice earlier in the day, and threatened him before knocking Cohn’s hat off. Kinlaw said that Cohn framed the story as if Kinlaw snuck up on him, whereas Kinlaw says he confronted Cohn directly, and Cohn got scared.
“All I know is when I walked up on you, your f***ing body temperature was f***ing cold as ice,” Kinlaw said. “Straight bitch. Your f***ing balls shriveled up. Lil d*** n****. Stop f***ing playing with me, bruh.”
“You don’t f***ing know me like that. None of y’all mother f***ers know me like that, bruh. Stop playing with me. I’m not the one. I’m f***ing not the one, bruh. My whole family know what you look like.”
Kinlaw did not cite his specific issues with Cohn’s coverage, but more generally said that Cohn doesn’t talk about players as if they are people, at one point telling Cohn, “I’m not an animal.”
On Wednesday, multiple 49ers and former 49ers spoke out on social media, many of which criticized Cohn’s coverage of the 49ers directly, with others criticizing a more general toxic media atmosphere.
Cohn also said that the reason he wasn’t scared is because he thought Kinlaw push or hit him, something that would allow Cohn to “retire” and become a “multi-millionaire.”
Those who shared their comments about the incident included Deebo Samuel, Arik Armstead, Taybor Pepper, Brandon Aiyuk, Jaquiski Tartt, Dante Pettis and Raheem Mostert.
