San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw had a verbal confrontation with a local reporter Tuesday night after calling into the reporter's YouTube channel.
Grant Cohn, who covers the 49ers as part of FanNation on SI.com, was describing an encounter he had with Kinlaw during Tuesday's practice when Kinlaw called in. According to Cohn, Kinlaw approached him on the practice field and then allegedly knocked Cohn's hat off.
Kinlaw said that he took issue with the manner with which Cohn covered the 49ers and how he discussed Kinlaw and his teammates.
Kinlaw's appearance was laced with profane statements toward Cohn.
"Stop playing with me," Kinlaw said. "I don't (expletive) play like that. You don't (expletive) know me. I'm not the one. My whole family knows what you look like."
Cohn later said on Twitter that he took that statement as a threat.
The 49ers selected Kinlaw with the No. 14 overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. Kinlaw has appeared in 18 games over two years and saw his 2021 season end prematurely due to a torn ACL.