Tom Brady has finally broken his silence about nearly unretiring for the second time as San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch spoke on the plan to pursue Brady in 2023.
Tom Brady, John Lynch Answer Questions Regarding 49ers’ Interest in Brady
Brock Purdy recently told ESPN that, last year, head coach Kyle Shanahan designated the second-year quarterback as the San Francisco 49ers’ starter heading into the 2023 season.
However, two things needed to happen first. Firstly, Purdy had to be healthy in his recovery from the torn UCL he suffered in the NFC Championship Game. Secondly, Brady couldn’t be on the roster.
“I remember him (Shanahan) saying, ‘If we can get Tom Brady, we’re going to try to get him,'” Purdy said. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, he’s the GOAT. I get it.'”
Lynch, in a conversation with Clark Judge and Ira Kaufman on the “The Eye Test for Two” podcast, addressed a question about those discussions regarding Brady and how far they progressed.
“Now, Kyle and [Purdy] have a lot of conversations, and you have to understand, I think, the context,” Lynch said.
“And I don’t know exactly when that conversation [took place]. Kyle and I haven’t talked about it, but the context of that was Brock got hurt in the NFC Championship Game, as everyone knows, [against] Philly, and his elbow was not in a good spot. And I think, to look back now, unbelievably, almost a miraculous recovery. He beat the timeline and all that.”
Still, Shanahan told Purdy that if they got Brady, he would be the starter even if Purdy was healthy.
“When it first happened, we’re searching, like, ‘What are we going to do at quarterback? We don’t know if we’re going to have Brock back,’” Lynch said. “Trey [Lance] had been hurt as well. He kind of [sustained] a vicious ankle injury, and that didn’t look good. So we had to look at all our options.
“And I think Kyle and Brock have honest conversations. At some point, he said, ‘Look, I guess the one way you’re not a starter if you’re healthy is if we go get someone like Brady.’ And I presume that’s what happened, but anytime you mention something like that, it’s going to make quite a story.”
During a Tuesday media tour regarding the merger of TB12 with Nobull, Brady was asked by Pat McAfee about the story from Purdy about the 49ers wanting Brady.
Brady didn’t specifically confirm that the 49ers wanted to sign him.
“In this last season, there’s a lot of different things that people would suggest, but I kind of just kept my mind focused on where I wanted to go,” Brady said. “Again, this was a great year for me to sit back and watch and learn and get prepared for being in the Fox booth next year.”
MORE: When Did Kyle Shanahan Know Brock Purdy Was the 49ers’ Best QB?
Brady also expressed his respect for Purdy and the 49ers organization.
“I think Brock has done a great job with the opportunity,” Brady said. “He got it, and he’s taken advantage of it. He was a late-round pick. I know he’s got a chip on his shoulder, and he wants to go out there every day and prove he’s the right fit for that team. It’s a great organization they’re running, I respect Kyle [Shanahan], but Brock’s done a hell of a job.”
As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!