Kyle Shanahan Opens Up About 49ers’ Interest In Tom Brady

If Tom Brady wanted to make another NFL comeback before the 2023 season, the 49ers were prepared to welcome him with open arms.

Leading up to the NFC Championship Game, Brock Purdy revealed he had a candid conversation about Brady with Kyle Shanahan last offseason. Shanahan informed Purdy that San Francisco’s starting quarterback job belonged to the 2023 seventh-rounder unless Brady came out of retirement and took his talents to the Bay Area.

In a conversation with NBC Sports’ Peter King, Shanahan corroborated Purdy’s story.

“Yes, I was serious about it,” Shanahan told King. “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.”

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One can understand why Shanahan wanted to have a strong plan in place in the event Purdy’s UCL injury was more serious than it was. Before Purdy’s emergence, the 49ers were forced to deal with injuries with both Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance.

Plus, as Shanahan explained to King, learning from Brady could’ve been hugely beneficial to Purdy.

“I actually thought it was giving Brock the biggest compliment,” Shanahan told King. “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?”

Purdy was ready for September and put together a great season that yielded an MVP finalist nod. And now, the 24-year-old is one win away from clinching the Niners their first Lombardi Trophy in nearly three decades.