AND OFF THE FIELD, ERIC’S THE BEST FOOTBALL PLAYER I’VE COACHED. HIGH PRAISE FOR A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER. YOU KNOW, THE REALLY SPECIAL THING THAT ERIC, THAT ERIC HAD IS HE’S HE’S ATHLETIC AT THAT SIZE. OF COURSE, ERIC ARMSTEAD BULKED UP A BIT SINCE HIS TIME AT PLEASANT GROVE HIGH SCHOOL IN ELK GROVE. THE SIX FOOT SEVEN, 280 POUND DEFENSIVE TACKLE NOW STARS FOR THE NINERS. HE WAS VERY GOOD FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE, UH, YOU KNOW, PLAYING FOR US AND YOU COULD TELL THAT HE HAD THE COMBINATION OF OF OF ABILITIES THAT WOULD GIVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY AS LONG AS HE COULD STAY HEALTHY. JOE CATOLICO, WHO COACHED ARMSTEAD AT PLEASANT GROVE, HE SAYS WHAT MAKES ARMSTEAD SO GREAT ISN’T JUST CONFINED TO A FOOTBALL FIELD. HE’S AN EVEN BETTER HUMAN BEING AND EVEN BETTER PERSON THAN HE IS A FOOTBALL PLAYER. HE JUST DOES SO MUCH TO HELP AND SUPPORT OTHERS AND MAKE THE WORLD AROUND HIM A BETTER PLACE. ARMSTEAD’S KINDNESS IS GETTING NOTICED. HE’S A NOMINEE FOR THE WALTER PAYTON NFL MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD, GIVEN TO A PLAYER WHO EXCELS IN GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. I TEXTED HIM AFTER THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP JUST TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS AND AND AND GOOD LUCK. OBVIOUSLY IN THE SUPER BOWL. THIS IS ARMSTEAD’S SECOND TRIP TO THE NFL’S BIGGEST GAME. THE FIRST ONE ENDED WITH A LOSS TO THE CHIEFS IN 2020. HIS HIGH SCHOOL COACH HOPES THIS TIME WILL BE DIFFERENT. I THINK THAT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO HIM IN HIS CAREER. I DON’T THINK HE’S SOMEBODY WHO LOOKS AT HIS CAREER AS MEASURED NECESSARILY BY THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, BUT I THINK THAT THE WORLD AROUND DOES MEASURE IT BY THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. AND OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD BE YOU KNOW, A GREAT REWARD AND REALLY VINDICATION FOR AL