It’s widely known that the San Francisco 49ers had a keen interest in acquiring Tom Brady for their team during the previous offseason.
This was recently confirmed by Brock Purdy, and now head coach Kyle Shanahan has openly discussed the matter with Peter King in his latest Football Morning In America column.
“Yes, I was serious about it. As we talked, I’m looking at Brock, and he’s got his arm in a sling, and I really am not sure I’ve got a quarterback who’s going to be ready for the start of the 2023 season. That started all of this.”
Shanahan expressed his perspective that his pursuit of Tom Brady was a gesture of immense respect towards Brock Purdy. He believed that by exploring the possibility of adding Brady to the roster, he was demonstrating the highest regard for Purdy’s abilities.
“I actually thought it was giving Brock the biggest compliment. I let him know he’s our guy long-term. No question. And if Tom Brady wanted to come here and start for one year, that’s the only way you’re not starting when you’re healthy this year. That’s pretty cool. I wanted to assure him, ‘Don’t worry. You’re our guy. But how cool would it be if Tom Brady would be the quarterback here for one season? How cool would it be for you to learn from him?’ … I mean, if Brock never got hurt, this wouldn’t have been a consideration at all. I’d never have brought it up. But I’ve got to think about the team. What if he’s not ready in September?”
Ultimately, the decision to stick with Brock Purdy proved to be a wise one. Purdy had an outstanding season, and as a result, the 49ers find themselves just one game away from potentially winning the Lombardi Trophy once again.
While Purdy has done just fine as the starter for the 49ers, one has to wonder what the team would have looked like with Tom Brady leading the way.
Brady is about to head into a broadcasting career, but there are some that believe his football playing days may not be over. Until he’s been retired for a few more years without making a comeback, no one will truly believe that he is done for good. Perhaps he’s not.
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