Brock Purdy raised many eyebrows in January by revealing the San Francisco 49ers planned to sign Tom Brady in 2023. In an interview with ESPN, the second-year quarterback said Kyle Shanahan let him know about the team seriously considering benching him only for the 7x Super Bowl champion.
“I remember him 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.’ But something deep down inside me was sort of like, ‘Dude, I just showed you that I can play well in this system. And we were one game away from the Super Bowl.’ … More than anything, I was like, ‘OK, now let’s go.'”
Peter King got to ask Shanahan about the truth behind these comments for his Football Morning in America column in the Super Bowl LVIII week. And the 49ers head coach had no problem to admit it was exactly how Purdy recalled.
“I’m glad you asked me that question,” Shanahan told King. “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.”
Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to a game against the Washington Commanders at FedExField on December 31, 2023 in Landover, Maryland.
Kyle Shanahan explains why he was honest with Purdy about Brady
While many believe the Niners admitting being interested in Brady shows a lack of confidence in Purdy, Shanahan believes it may be the other way around.
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“I actually thought it was giving Brock the biggest compliment,” Shanahan said. “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?’“
The idea of bringing Brady in started due to Purdy’s injury, as the Niners QB hurt his shoulder in the 2023 NFC Championship Game against the Eagles and his availability for Week 1 of the following season seemed uncertain.
“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?,” Shanahan added.
Tom Brady doesn’t confirm if he came close to playing for the 49ers
Brady had been linked with his hometown 49ers ever since he left New England in 2020, but San Francisco decided to keep Jimmy Garoppolo as starter that year. Even when he retired after three years with the Buccaneers, many expected him to come back for a last dance in the Bay area.
Former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady speaks during a ceremony honoring him at halftime of New England’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium on September 10, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
“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, via 49ersWebZone.com. “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.”
Brady ultimately retired for good, as he signed a multi-year agreement to call NFL games for Fox starting in 2024. Many wonder how Brady would have fared in a 49ers uniform, but Purdy still proved to be up to the task so far. On Sunday, we’ll see if he definitely makes the Niners forget about the Brady possibility forever.
