Getty Taysom Hill gets hit by Nick Bosa as Dre Greenlaw awaits the ball on November 27, 2022 in Santa Clara.
The San Francisco 49ers and the Miami Dolphins have yet to resume practices ahead of their marquee Sunday, December 4 interconference showdown — but there’s been some words exchanged already.
Not just from former 49ers running back Raheem Mostert, or from Deebo Samuel and Charles Omenihu as a response from the 49ers’ side on Monday, November 28, but even former 49ers are involved in sending out a warning to the Dolphins.
Past NFC Champion 49ers DB: ‘They’re Going to be After You Boys’
Donte Whitner delivered his hot take on the upcoming heavyweight battle between the 8-3 Dolphins and the 7-4 49ers. Or as NBC Sports Bay Area calls it, “Hitner’s Hot Take.”
The hard-nosed safety who lined up for the 2012 NFC champion 49ers first was perplexed with how the former 49ers on the Dolphins’ side including recently added Jeff Wilson are calling out the 49ers’ defense.
“Can you believe the noise coming out of the Miami Dolphins’ camp?” Whitner said in a clip released on Monday. “And it’s led by two ex-49ers, Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. Why would you want to call out the No. 1 defense in the league?”
Whitner then rolled out a list of players that were called out.
“[Nick] Bosa, [Dre] Greenlaw, Fred Warner, and then you can’t talk about Jimmy Garoppolo. These guys feel like Terrell Owens. That’s their quarterback!” Whitner said.
But then came the warning from the mouth of the two-time Pro Bowler who played in three NFC championship games in all three seasons he was with the 49ers.
“So you better come ready Sunday,” Whitner warned the Dolphins. “The 49ers’ defense, they’re going to be after you boys.”
.@dontewhitner says the Dolphins’ offense “better come ready” for the Niners’ defense 🍿
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Former 49ers Assistant Cracks Joke Ahead of Matchup
Even former 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has his take on the upcoming reunion and battle of aspiring Super Bowl contenders.
McDaniel, currently nearing the postseason in his first season with Miami, was asked by the Miami media about his mindset heading into the matchup.
“I will do everything in my power to make it another game because I think that should be the objective of any head coach to make it about the players and I really stray away from making it about me,” McDaniel said.
But he still holds the 49ers in high regard.
“I think that I have a very high opinion of the 49ers franchise, the players, the coaches staff members. I have a lot of love for anybody I work with especially for that extended period of time,” McDaniel said. “So those relationships and people will always matter to me.”
Yet, this time when he arrives to Levi’s Stadium, he knows that he’ll be directed to a different area of the venue compared to years past.
“In terms of this week, it will be odd for a second to be in a different locker room or pulling up on the bus in a weird area or being on a different sideline,” McDaniel said.
He also got asked about seeing old coaching boss Kyle Shanahan again for the first time on the field. McDaniel told the Miami media that he has the ritual of looking away…which will soon include not looking directly at Shanahan.
“I don’t really look across the sidelines that much at opposing coaches,” McDaniel said. “So I don’t think, on the field, I will feel anything different than any other game in regard to [Shanahan]. I owe a lot to him in general. I will be forever grateful, and I think he’s always been one of the best, if not the best, offensive coaches and head coaches that I’ve ever had experience being around.”
But he ended with dropping a light-hearted joke.
“I will not be undertaking any Oklahoma drills as well this week on the field with him,” he said.