Dre Greenlaw reveals who helped him ascend into a high-level linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers.
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00:00 When you first came to the 49ers, one of your mentors, one of your brothers was Quan Alexander.
00:06 When he went down, he felt it nicely.
00:08 How emotional and happy you were when he came back from the playoffs.
00:11 What about another figure at that time in your rookie year that almost took you under their wing, but was a veteran presence?
00:18 A lot of your teammates like Kittle, Metsa Sherman, Defoe, Maiton Sanders.
00:22 Who else was there in all player lines?
00:24 Defoe.
00:25 Defoe for sure.
00:27 He was kind of the guy that I remember just struggling in the rookie year.
00:31 He just came to me like, "You struggling? Why do coaches keep getting on to you?"
00:36 I'm like, "I'm trying."
00:38 You know what I'm saying?
00:39 But looking back on it then, you can just tell how much leadership there is and how much his presence played on the team.
00:48 He was definitely one of those guys that was just all around good.
00:54 I'm pretty sure that Ray O'Halloran knew that about you.
00:57 You could have gotten to that spot.
00:59 How great of a person, indebted residence.
01:01 What about a coach at that time?
01:03 I know I understand that correctly.
01:05 Who was a player?
01:06 Coach Dallas helped you?
01:08 Who else factored into your ascension to the player you are today?
01:11 Definitely D'Amico.
01:12 He was probably number one coach and person, to be honest.
01:17 He helped me figure out the difference of the life of being in the NFL.
01:24 He kind of understood my story a little bit.
01:28 He definitely helped navigate and coach me through those times.
01:33 He taught me how to read and different formations and what does that mean.
01:42 All those kind of key details I could play faster.
01:45 He was the one that really pushed my growth and understanding.
01:50 Your Super Bowl preparation last time, the first time, this time, obviously your second.
01:55 Is there anything that you're doing differently?
01:57 The fact that this is your second one, that's like, "Oh, this is easier now," from what you learned last time?
02:02 I think it's not as chaotic as it was the first time.
02:07 I think now it's just more, you do this and then you go play football, which is the most important thing.
02:14 I think Miami was just kind of just so surprising, but now it's just, you do it and you go play football.
02:21 You had some impressions here when you signed with the 49ers, the O-Green Green Long.
02:24 He's been a riveting player for the 49ers since his retirement.
02:27 You didn't go ahead to him, but you fired him.
02:29 What have you seen, how much he's meant to you guys defensively, defensively, defensively over the last two years?
02:34 I honestly feel like he demotivated defense, man.
02:37 He set the tone almost every first play of the game.
02:41 It was one game, he was mad.
02:44 He was like, "Man, man, Elf." I was like, "Dang, you good? What's wrong?"
02:47 He was like, "Man, I just want to hit somebody."
02:50 He's the hardest hitter on our defense, great energy, great effort, probably the most physical football player I've ever been around.
02:57 I never seen somebody that wanted to hit somebody as much as him.
03:00 I didn't know he was like that, to be honest.
03:02 I thought it was all about Fred, the only good linebacker we got.
03:06 But once I saw Joey, I was like, "Damn, he can be LB1. He can be a great middle linebacker in this league as well."
03:10 He definitely is the engine of our defense.
03:14 I'm talking about Dre Greenlaw.
03:17 Dre, again, I can't speak enough about how important Dre is.
03:21 I'm not the player I am without having Dre Greenlaw next to me.
03:25 He doesn't get the respect or any of the admiration that he deserves, but he doesn't care.
03:30 All he cares about is playing football, going out there and hitting people and toeing the line.
03:35 I love that about him, and I love having that out there on the field with me.
03:39 He makes our defense way better when he's not out there.
03:44 I'm really grateful to have him out there.
03:47 -Thank you, guys. -Thanks, guys.