San Francisco 49ers Defensive Lineman Explains Kobe Bryant Tattoo

A San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman has a unique tattoo

The San Francisco 49ers’ defense is revamping its roster for another run at the Super Bowl. The 49ers came up short of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game, though much of that involved quarterback Brock Purdy being injured. The 49ers’ defense has carried the team the past few years, and new free agent signee Austin Bryant is looking to help the team continue that success.

Bryant struggled with injuries during his time with the Detroit Lions. According to the 49ers website, as Bryant was rehabbing, he got a tattoo of an NBA legend as an inspiration:

“While [Austin] was working his way to recovery, the defensive lineman leaned on Kobe Bryant’s motivational videos, books and podcasts as a mental health resource. The late basketball legend had such an impact on Bryant, that he got a tattoo of Kobe on his leg.

“That tattoo means a lot to me,” Bryant said. “The mamba mentality, a lot of athletes know about that… Just having that on me and just having that mentality really helped me come back stronger than I was before.”

Austin will carry the mamba mentality on the field this season for the 49ers.