Dolphins’ Raheem Mostert clarifies comments on 49ers, excited for reunion in San Francisco

Raheem Mostert recently clarified comments he made about the Dolphins and 49ers, saying his intention was not to disrespect his former team.

In a feature written by sports reporter Tyler Dunne, Mostert spoke about the difference between Miami and San Francisco. Mostert played with the 49ers for the previous six seasons.

“We have way better talent here,” he said in the article. “It’s going to get spooky.”

“We have a quarterback who can actually sling it,” Mostert also said, which many believed to be a dig 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garropolo.

On Monday, 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel wrote on Twitter: “Raheem be real with yourself” and added a pair of laughing emojis.

Mostert told San Francisco radio station KNBR on Tuesday that his comments were intended to be about the Dolphins’ offense and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa instead of slighting his former team.

“I would never, ever in a million years talk down on a player, specifically a guy like Jimmy,” Mostert said. “We’ve grown together all those years when I was [with San Francisco]. His family is like my family.”

Mostert said his talent comments were in regard to how much talent Miami has had in recent years, not compared to San Francisco. “I was speaking in terms of we have more talent [in Miami], right now, this moment, than what has been here in the past. I can see how that can be misconstrued,” he said.

On Wednesday, Mostert laughed off the reaction to his comments, saying he texted Samuel to clear up any misunderstanding: “He already knows what it is.”

After bouncing around the NFL with several teams, Mostert’s career took off with the 49ers. He joined the team in 2016 and ran for a career-high 772 yards in the 2019 season as San Francisco advanced to the Super Bowl. Through six seasons, Mostert totaled 1,971 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Mostert played in just one game in 2021 because of a knee cartilage injury but signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins in the offseason. In 10 games, Mostert has run for 543 yards and three touchdowns. He missed Miami’s Week 12 win against the Houston Texans because of a knee injury but said he expects to play Sunday.

“It means a little bit more,” he said of returning to San Francisco. “Maybe [coach Mike McDaniel] might not say it as much, but I know it does, just because he worked with Kyle Shanahan all them years. ... Just going back, you get a little anxious. But you get excited because it’s a good opportunity for us to go out there and try to be 9-3. That’s the ultimate goal.”