Sports Radio Interviews

Brian Westbrook: “I am going to give everything that I have to help this team win.”

After spending the first eight seasons of his career in Philadelphia, Brian Westbrook is now a member of the San Francisco 49ers.  While in Philly, he gained a reputation of being one of the NFL’s most prolific running and receiving backs, but Westbrook has had a bout with concussions the last two seasons and wasn’t able to perform up to the expectations the city became accustomed to.  So the Eagles did what every team does and replaces their veterans with new talent.  Enter, LeSean McCoy, who was drafted in the second round of the ’09 Draft out of Pitt.  McCoy was eased into games before Westbrook’s injury thrust him into the starting job last season.  Westbrook is eager to get an opportunity to play with one of the game’s best running backs, Frank Gore, and  learn from coaches like Mike Singletary and Tom Rathman.  Although he is in a new city, playing for a new team, and wearing a different colored jersey, Westbrook is in a great situation where he can thrive and help the team regain the NFL West division.   Now let’s hope he can stay healthy and avoid concussions.

Brian Westbrook joined KNBR in San Francisco to talk about why he was still available for the 49ers to sign him, what he liked about the 49ers situation that made him want to sign with them, and whether it is easy to be relegated to the backup role after being the starting running back for most of his career.

Why he was still available for the 49ers to sign him:

“Well I had a few offers, 3 or 4 proposals from different teams.  We were just weighing our options making sure that we were going to be making the right decision that was just me and my agent.  (Host:  Like Washington or the Rams?)  Yeah they were a few teams that we were looking at and just  making sure that we were making the right decision and we did.  We ended up in San Francisco and we are both excited about it.”

What he liked about the 49ers situation that made him want to sign with them:

“Well I think the first thing, the most important thing is the coach.  Coach Singletary, he is a man that I respected, he is a man that I think has the ability to lead young men like guys that are on this team.  With this team, I felt like the team had a lot of talent and being able to play with a guy like Frank Gore, I think the world of Frank.  He is a hard worker, he is a very good player, just being able to work beside him as well as being able to sub him when he needs to come out.  I am willing to do that.  That was some of the things that brought me here to San Francisco.”

Whether it is easy to be relegated to the backup role after being the starting running back for most of his career:

“I definitely feel as though I can carry the load.  I have any doubt in my mind that I can do that but I also know coming into this situation that is not going to be asked of me.  I am not going to be asked to carry the load because that is Frank’s job, that is what they pay him to do so whenever I have the opportunity, whenever the time allows and permits I am definitely going to do everything I can to help this team win.  Whether that is 20 plays a game or if that is 5 plays a game, I am going to give everything that I have to help this team win the football game.”

Whether he knew Coach Singletary before coming here or if he just met him:

“No I didn’t know him at all.  I actually met him one time before.  I must have been in Florida or something at the Super Bowl and he was presenting Patrick Willis an award and he briefly spoke there, I briefly spoke to him there. I don’t even know if he remembers this, but I did speak to him briefly there.  I spoke to him on Friday, I spoke to him on the phone Saturday and I have had a quick shot of him here while I have been here these last few days and I couldn’t say anything but great things to say about him.  He has an ability to teach men right from wrong on the football field and off the football field as well as be a leader and I think when you look at great coaches in the history of sports, they have those same abilities.”

What he thought about the 49ers team while playing against them in Philadelphia:

“I thought the team was a hard-nosed football team.  They tried very hard and did everything they could to try to win the football game.  Just looking from the outside in not knowing anybody out here and things like that, they didn’t seem like they had enough to get over the hurdle and be able to get over that hump.  Now I think that this year we do have enough.  We do have enough players.  Everybody has matured another year, everybody has the opportunity to learn from the mistakes in the past and now we have to do everything we can this year to move forward from last year.”

Brian Westbrook on KNBR in SF with Razor & Mr. T

Tags: 2010 NFL season, 49ers, Alex Smith, Brian Westbrook, Frank Gore, Mike Singletary, NFC Football, San Francisco 49ers, signs with 49ers after spending his whole career in Philadelphia, Slash and Dash, Villanova graduate, Westbrook and Gore