Javon Hargrave has played in a lot of meaningful football games over his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, and now, the San Francisco 49ers. But one thing he has still yet to win is a Super Bowl. The last time that Hargrave made it this far, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs knocked them off and prevented guys like Hargrave from getting their first career ring.
But Hargrave hopes to peel off that band-aid and get some sweet revenge on his way to his first Super Bowl ring.
“Never wanting to feel that feeling anymore — of making it all the way to this game and losing,” Hargrave said. “I just want to feel that other side of how it feels to win instead of being all sad. It definitely hurt. You think about it all the time, how that was one of the worst days. I’ve not really gotten over it.”
Hargrave signed a massive four-year, $84 million contract that included $40 million guaranteed at signing last March. He’ll play in his second consecutive Super Bowl. He came up short against Kansas City last year when he was with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The 6-foot-2, 305-pound Hargrave was the Steelers’ third-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He played his first four seasons in Pittsburgh, all as a starter, and amassed 168 tackles, 22 tackles for a loss, 14.5 sacks and forced two fumbles. Hargrave recorded 44 total tackles (25 solos), seven sacks, eight tackles for losses, and 14 quarterback hits in 2023. Hargrave is a key member on the 49ers’ vaunted front.
And Hargrave has experience against Mahomes, too. In his first season, Mahomes shredded the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium to win 42-37. It’s not something that Hargrave forgets.
“I tell everybody how during that game nobody knew who he was and we had all these plans of, ‘He’s a young quarterback,’ and what we were trying to do to confuse him,” Hargrave said. “He just came out and killed us the whole game. All the game plans were like torn to pieces by halftime.”
Hargrave is not the only connection to Pittsburgh in the game. The Steelers are represented on the 49ers by defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud and offensive tackle Jesse Davis (practice squad). The Chiefs have defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs and quarterback Chris Oladokun, both of whom are on the practice squad.
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