The Rams are still talking about an out-of-context quote from 49ers TE George Kittle from three weeks ago – SFGate

During his media availability on Thursday, Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris answered a question from broadcaster Claudia Gestro about Kittle finding a new gear during the playoffs, saying he “came out and talked about the ‘body bag’ game [three weeks ago] and he put us in one and now it’s our time to pay him back.”

OK.

So first, the “body bag” comment is in reference to this Kittle quote from way back on Thursday, Jan. 6, three days before the 49ers season finale against the Rams:

“Whenever we play them, we just try to come out and be as physical as we possibly can, and that’s what we are really good at,” he said. “I think we are one of the most physical offenses in football coming off the line of scrimmage with offensive line, fullback, tight ends and running backs. And when our wide receivers decide to go hit safeties in the mouth on a run play, that kind of changes the game. You either have to match that intensity or get out of the way. Sometimes, guys get out of the way. It’s definitely going to show up this Sunday about who is the more physical team, and it’s going to be kind of a body-bag game is my opinion.”

Second, it’s very clear here that Kittle is saying the game is going to be very physical, and that the least physical team is going to end up in a metaphorical “body bag” because they will be “dead” from all the physicality. The Rams somehow took this as an affront, though, and referenced it repeatedly on the field during Sunday’s game, a come-from-behind 27-24 Niners win in overtime that punched them a ticket to the postseason.

That led Kittle to have to spell out his quote after San Francisco’s win.

“Apparently I used a ‘body bag’ quote that they used in their locker room this entire week. And I was saying that for both sides of the ball. Like whoever it is, Rams or Niners, someone is leaving in a body bag,” Kittle said after that game. “We go down 17-0 and I had five guys chirping at me in my ear, saying, ‘Hey, guys are putting you in a body bag, Kittle.’ I was like, ‘A lot of time up on that clock, boys.’ And hopefully I can see them again, because that was a fun body-bag game.”

Morris, who clearly still doesn’t understand Kittle’s previous quote even after the very thorough explanation a full three weeks ago, brought it up again Thursday and then weirdly said the team doesn’t look at it as bulletin board material, even though it very clearly seems like they … do?

“We don’t look at it like bulletin board material or nothing like that,” he continued. “He gave some shots after the game, but he’s a really fun player to play against because of his competitiveness, because of his toughness.”

Yeah. Definitely nothing like that.