49ers place Elk Grove native Arik Armstead on COVID-19 reserve list
The San Francisco 49ers announced Monday defensive lineman Arik Armstead was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list.
The list was created for a player who either tests positive for COVID-19 or has been quarantined after having been in close contact with an infected person or persons. If a player falls into either of those categories, his team is required to immediately place the player on the list. Teams are not permitted to comment on a player’s medical status other than referring to roster status and may not disclose whether the player is in quarantine or is positive for COVID-19.
Last week, wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was placed back to the COVID-19 reserve list days after he came off the same list. It’s not clear if he tested positive for the disease a second time, as the team can’t reveal the circumstances that put players on the list. Bourne played on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. Armstead played Sunday against the Saints, recording two assists and one tackle in a 27-14 drubbing.
Armstead has used his role and fame as a 49ers defensive lineman as a platform to pique awareness, everything from fitness to academics — be active, eat wisely, read and study.
Over the summer, the 6-foot-7, 285-pound defensive lineman pledged more giving to his home base of Elk Grove, where he was a star at Pleasant Grove High School, and Sacramento, which he says “is always dear to my heart.”
The coronavirus pandemic has brought the restaurant industry across the state to a near crawl, if not a complete shutdown. In an effort to help his regional home base, Armstead has pledged to give away 49ers game tickets and signed memorabilia to those who eat local with pictorial proof on on his Instagram and Twitter thread.
To this end, Armstead has used his game jersey No. 91 with social-media hashtags to tie in Sacramento’s area code of 916: #Eat91Six and #stayhungry.
“I saw how the coronavirus really hit our local economy, and I wanted to do something to help,” Armstead said by phone Friday. “I wanted to do what I could to help and wanted to do something creative to help small businesses. Restaurants do a lot for a local economy, so we want people to continue to go to those places for take out to help them in this time of need.”
He added, “I love Sacramento dearly. I feel for people who are hurting. I know a lot of people who have small businesses, and I want to see my city prosper and grow and get better.”
Other players who have been placed on the reserve list this season includes left tackle Trent Williams, receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel and linebacker Fred Warner.
This story was originally published November 16, 2020 at 12:34 PM.