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A conversation with 49ers OT Joe Staley

A conversation with 49ers OT Joe Staley

By Ian Allen

For young NFL players a first NFL game, first start, and first Monday nighter are all significant and exciting.

For 49ers offensive lineman Joe Staley they were all rolled into one. I recently spoke with the power house OT about his season thus far, and his first challenge as a pro on Monday night football.

My own 1st start was against the St. Louis Rams, and I had Leonard Little detail (the Pro Bowler DE), but in my mind at the time, I was 330lbs vs a 256lbs guy. In my mind, no problem, I am going to show this guy what a 330lbs man with quick feet is all about… in other words, I knew I was going to open a can of “whoop…” on this guy. But after the 1st play of the game, I understood why he was a pro bowler DE, and my tempo intensified after getting pushed back in the backfield 3yds and giving up a tackle for loss.

Staley's first start had him going up against Bertrand Berry and Darnell Dockett.

“My nerves were shaking, and I couldn’t believe it at first, but I had a pretty good game,” said Staley.

When asked about his toughest opponent overall this season, he responded by saying “Micheal Strahan, because I grew up watching him, and he was my favorite player. It was a bad game, but I learned a lot from it. I was playing to passive, and realized after that, you have to go and do your job, and forget about who it is you are playing against. But the guy who I thought is the most athletic is Julius Peppers. He has so many tools to use.”

Overall, from my analysis of Joe Staley, he has the necessary quick feet to be an NFL lineman, and the long arms to stand off any Defensive End. He is a tough tenacious player, and picking him up was a solid move for the franchise, especially having an experienced guy like Kwame Harris as a backup.

One thing is for sure, in talking with Joe, he didn’t disappoint me in not keeping with the tradition of offensive linemen being the smartest guys on the field.

Ian Allen played offensive line in the NFL for six seasons, primarily with the New York Giants. He now hosts an NFL radio program on www.colourfulradio.com, Mondays, 3:00 p.m. EST