The Brady-to-49ers storylines and media speculation is behind us. Tom Brady didn't sign with the San Francisco 49ers, and there isn't much evidence (if any) that the scenario was ever close to coming to fruition.
The 49ers players heard all of the chatter, but most didn't think much of it because they are confident in their franchise quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo. The latest to be asked about all of the Brady talk is defensive lineman Arik Armstead, who joined Chris Simms this week on his podcast.
"I thought it was cool for the media and fans," Armstead said of the rumors that circulated. "Cool story for people to be like, 'Oh yeah, this is crazy,' and draw a bunch of attention. But I didn't really think too much more of it than that. I didn't see our organization, in the position that we're in, especially after the year we had, making any huge adjustments like that.
"Jimmy is our quarterback, and he's our leader, so I didn't really see that as an actual possibility."
All Garoppolo did in his first full season as an NFL starting quarterback is lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl. The achievement seems to be overshadowed by how the game ended, but many of Garoppolo's teammates credited much of the team's success last season to the quarterback.
"When he's on the field, we win," Armstead continued. "The year where he got here, towards the end of the year, when he's on the field, we won. Then he got hurt, unfortunately. And then when he came back and returned, we won. I don't know what more you really want out of him."
Another teammate who is continually praising Garoppolo and didn't think much of the Brady rumors is tight end George Kittle.
"It is what it is," Kittle told Pro Football Talk last week. "People talk even when there's nothing else to talk about. It's (signing Brady) nothing that I took seriously. Jimmy G's my quarterback. He's one hell of a quarterback. We don't get to the Super Bowl without him, and so there's no one I'd replace him with.
"I think, what he's done for this team, leadership-wise and on the field, it's one of a kind. There's no one else I'd rather be around to throw me the ball. I'm just excited being able to play football again with Jimmy G, and I know he's ready to sling that rock again."