As the second-longest tenured 49ers player, Arik Armstead has been a steady, significant presence for the defensive line both on and off the field. 

Nick Bosa summed up Armstead’s role perfectly, dubbing him the “quarterback of our D-line.” Armstead’s leadership has enhanced even more so recently, though, as San Francisco prepares to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. 

But this won’t be Armstead’s first rodeo. 

The eight-year NFL defensive lineman sat down with NBC Sports Bay Area’s 49ers insider Matt Maiocco on the latest episode of “49ers Talk” and discussed how he has embraced his role as a veteran leader. 

“Yeah, I’ve played every position on the D-line. I know how offenses try to attack us and I try to share my knowledge and what I see on film with there rest of the guys and what I think it’s going to take to win the game and play at a high level,” Armstead told Maiocco. “And there are certain things I see with how the offense is going to attack us up front and within our scheme. 

“That has built throughout the years of me being in this scheme now for my fourth year and I know how offenses try to attack us and that’s just sharing the knowledge with the other guys who have played or some haven’t been in this situation of the NFC Championship. This is my third one so just trying to share that knowledge that I gained through my film study with the rest of the guys.” 

Bosa added that Armstead watches film “more than anybody” on the D-line, especially around this time of the year, and will text the guys any updates on what he learned.

That was no different this week as the team prepares for what’s expected to be San Francisco’s toughest matchup since its Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. 

The Eagles have possibly the best offensive line in the NFL with stars or really good player at each spot. But the 49ers have a top-ranked defense for a reason. 

“It’s going to be, what I like to call, ‘big-on-big,’” Armstead said. “I feel like we have great players on our defensive line and they have a great offensive line. It’s going to come down to making plays. 

“Football, it’s simple. It comes down to being physical, attacking, getting off blocks and making plays.”

Spoken like a true leader. 

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