WE WERE NOT EXPECTING THIS, 49ers has sent an astonishing message to Bears head coach concerning…
Brock Purdy had to sign with the 49ers before he could play quarterback for them. With the final selection of the draft, he joined the 49ers.
And with a little help from 49ers co-chair Dr. John York, he ended up being the final selection in the draft.
In his Football Morning in America blog, coach Kyle Shanahan told Peter King that ownership provided a sudden realization when it came time to select the team’s final pick in the 2022 draft.
“I recall [Dr. York] asking, ‘Who’s the best player out there?’ as the pick approached. “Well, without a doubt, Purdy is the best player,” I say. “So what are we talking about?” he asks. I said to myself, “Well, there are other spots.” After the draft, we might be able to sign him as a free agent for $10,000. Dr. York finds it unbelievable. He’s looking at me like, if you people think he’s the best player, then why is there even a discussion?
Then it gets closer, according to Shanahan. Additionally, I have the impression that Purdy won’t be available to us as a free agency because so many other clubs will likely attempt to sign him. He refused to come see us. Since then, he has told me that he was signing with someone else. In the room, I said, “Let’s not take a chance.” This man is too talented.
During the season, Purdy stated that if the 49ers hadn’t selected him, he might have signed with the Vikings. The 49ers would not have had first dibs no matter what he did.
This demonstrates the potential worth of an owner who can, when necessary, provide his football team members with improved vision. It’s not that York didn’t have any training or expertise scouting players; rather, it was only that he used common sense to solve a problem that his football staff were facing. This is why York grew to like Purdy.
They required an intermediary to make them see the obvious course of action. York helped them pull it off at just the right moment. That’s an illustration of how owners might discover a sweet spot where folks who have far more expertise in building football teams than they do can benefit from their knowledge and experience.
