Since becoming the San Francisco 49ers first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Javon Kinlaw has built a strong bond with teammate Arik Armstead. The 49ers defensive lineman is one of the players he can open up to.
During the recent episode of Armstead’s Third and One podcast, Kinlaw spoke about the side of his life that usually stays hidden under the glamor of football. Every individual comes from a different background and goes through different upbringings. Some lead an affluent life, while others are pushed into the horrors of society early on. Kinlaw fell into the latter part of it.
The 26-year-old was born in Trinidad and Tobago. He later moved to the States with his mother, Leesa James-Exum, and spent the better part of his childhood homeless in Washington, DC.
In the interview, Armstead brought up his non-profit organization that provides education and health facilities to kids in need. One of the primary targets of the foundation is sending underprivileged children to school. If they receive a proper education, then it will allow them to carve out a career for themselves.
However, Kinlaw asserted that sometimes a section of the population does not get that luxury. He was one of them.
I am a testament to it, man. When you come home, you ain't got no power, no water. You eat hot dogs every day and baloney sandwiches. You are not worried about school or seeing people die right in front of you. Right down the street from where your head is, it's like school; it's a joke. It can hinder your growth as a child. Kinlaw said
Football saved Javon Kinlaw’s life
Every year, so many little kids dream about becoming professional football players when they grow up. But only a few manage to make that dream a reality. On top of that, even after entering the NFL, there’s hardly any guarantee of how long an individual will last in the cutthroat environment.
Despite the hardships Javon Kinlaw faced after arriving on US soil, he did not give up. Studying may have been secondary, but he would go to school to play the sport he loved, and he was good at it. While playing for South Carolina, he was blessed with a baby girl, Eden Amara, and it gave him another purpose in life, apart from escaping poverty. That was to provide a happy childhood, which he did not have. And it showed up on the field.
When she was born, not that he didn’t work hard before, but I saw a guy that was on a mission. understood that there was a lot more out there for him right now in taking care of his daughter and taking care of his family. Kinlaw’s South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp said in an interview
The 6-foot-5 defensive tackle is one of the players ever present in the San Francisco 49ers squad. They have already qualified for the playoffs with an 11-3 record. Their next opponents are the AFC leaders, the Baltimore Ravens (11-3).
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