Head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have worked hard to create the right type of culture during the San Francisco 49ers' rebuild. Most fans tend to overlook a player's character if they feel he can make an instant impact and improve the team's on-field play. What isn't often considered is the domino effect that can occur from one wrong fit.
That's what the 49ers are trying to avoid, and they seem to have no problems with their vision taking longer to come to fruition if it means building the team the right way.
There is no doubt that wide receiver Antonio Brown is a rare talent and an elite NFL player. And this is not to suggest that Brown has character issues which cannot be dealt with or overcome. There is also no doubt that the 49ers could use his talents on the football field.
If Shanahan, Lynch, and company are interested in adding Brown to their roster, they will need to give up enough to pry him away from the Pittsburgh Steelers. We already know that Brown would love to play for the 49ers and there are reports that the New England Patriots are a desirable destination, as well. Does he fit the mold of what is being built in Santa Clara?
What has Shanahan said regarding the importance of adding high-character players?
Below is what the head coach said last year via a conversation with NBC Sports Bay Area (H/t to Matt Maiocco on the latest 49ers Insider Podcast). It is important to note that Shanahan was discussing free agents at the time, but the quote is still relevant.
"I do not mind overpaying for character, guys who are going to come in and work, who compete on the practice field, who can handle being coached, who aren't coming in extremely sensitive, and not putting themselves above anyone else. That's the hard thing about free agency. If you bring in an entitled guy, it hurts your team."
And then here is what Shanahan told the Sacramento Bee before the start of the season (courtesy of Chris Biderman).
"It always starts with guys who are going to help you win. But I just feel through experience you learn that not one guy is really ever worth it, if he's going to hold people back. And so if you want to bring in someone real talented when you're trying to change something, who doesn't have the right attitude, as soon as you lose a couple games in a row ... that person's going to make it very hard."
49ers players have handled the adversity of winning just 10 games over the past two seasons. Shanahan believes much of that is due to the type of players in the locker room.
"Guys can pretend and trick you," Shanahan told the Sacramento Bee. "But when adversity hits, you're going to find out who people really are."
Does Brown fit the mold of what Shanahan and Lynch are trying to create? At what point does pure talent and need trump character? While Shanahan and Lynch figure that out, the rest of the NFC West continues to strengthen around them.
It is also important to note that the Steelers denied both Brown and his representatives permission to speak to other teams and potentially facilitate a trade. That means the 49ers can't even address any potential concerns with him.
