49ers fans will love Javon Kinlaw's approach to dealing with adversity.
The adversity, on the other hand ... probably not so much.
"Go punch it in the face," Kinlaw said Thursday. "That's how I deal with adversity. Go punch it straight in the mouth."
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As a rookie entering the NFL in 2020, Kinlaw already has faced his fair share of adversity. His first offseason was the most unprecedented one in league history, and surely has caused the adjustment period to last longer.
The 49ers as a team already have experienced a seemingly disproportionate amount of bad luck for it only being Week 2. Numerous key players are injured, and the season got started with a disappointing 24-20 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
Kinlaw was very impressive in his NFL debut, and drew rave reviews from the coaching staff. But when asked to analyze his own performance, the No. 14 overall pick graded it as "below average" and explained why he doesn't have a favorite play from it (h/t 49ers Webzone).
"It's not really a play for me," Kinlaw said. "For me, it's about how violent can I play? How aggressive can I be? Can I impose my will on the guy in front of me? And I felt like a couple of opportunities, I did that, and a couple of times, I didn't. I've just got to clean that up and work on being more physical all the time."
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"I'll probably never [reach my expectations] my whole career," Kinlaw added. "That's just how I am on myself."
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Kinlaw is just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential, and both he and the 49ers should improve as he gains more experience. He'll hit bumps in the road just like any rookie, but don't expect him to go around them.