Arik Armstead sent a text to Fred Warner about being jealous of the 49ers' reunification with Robert Saleh.
In some ways, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead probably wishes he was back with the San Francisco 49ers.
Of course, things don't work so simply. The Niners asked him to take a pay cut last offseason, and he understandably refused, opting to be released and betting on himself to take a lucrative three-year deal with the Jags in the aftermath.
But, with Jacksonville entering yet another regime change with Liam Coen as its new head coach, Armstead is poised to face more change down in Duval County for a bottom-of-the-barrel franchise.
Meanwhile, the former Oregon Duck's old team reunited with Robert Saleh, the one-time defensive coordinator in the Bay Area who turned that success into a head-coaching job with the New York Jets from 2021 through 2024.
Saleh is back in San Francisco now, and it's not hard to see why both 49ers players and fans are pumped.
Including linebacker Fred Warner, who posted a picture on his Instagram with him and Saleh not long after the hire went official.
Armstead is jealous. And he even admitted it.
Arik Armstead texted Fred Warner admitting he's 'jealous' of Robert Saleh hire
Of course, Armstead isn't going to throw his current employer under the bus, rather he'd be inclined to simply feel happy for many of his former teammates.
Speaking to 95.7 The Game, Armstead revealed he texted Warner after seeing the linebacker's Instagram post and admitted a little jealousy.
"I sent Fred a message, I said, 'Dang, I’m jealous,'" Armstead told the Steiny & Guru Show.
Armstead, whom the 49ers selected way back in Round 1 of the 2015 NFL Draft, was the Niners' longest-tenured player for many years and played under Saleh from 2017 through 2020.
Warner joined the fray as a third-round pick in 2018, likely due to Saleh pounding the desk for San Francisco to draft the linebacker.
"Saleh is one of the best coaches I've ever played for," Armstead continued. "He’s truly a special coach. He brings that energy, he cares about his players, schematically, he’s elite. And he has the experience. He's been around a lot of football, been in a lot of big games and coaching in big moments."
The 49ers hope to lean on Saleh to improve what was an uninspiring defense a season ago under former coordinator Nick Sorensen.
And, potentially, Armstead wishes he could be a part of it.