Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Kyle Shanahan talks passing on Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson in the 2017 NFL draft
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Last week, Kyle Shanahan was a guest on "The TK Show" with The Athletic's Tim Kawakami. He got the chance to discuss the San Francisco 49ers' offseason program, his thoughts on rookie Trey Lance, new defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, and most intriguingly, passing on star quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson in the 2017 NFL Draft.
"Anybody who had a chance to take Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun who didn't, I mean, everyone wishes we had a time machine," Shanahan said. "Before I came here, I had a very good idea that we would be able to get a free-agent quarterback the next year, one that I knew we could win with. So you're looking at these rookies … and no one at that time was considering those guys top-five picks, top-ten picks."
When talking about that "free-agent quarterback," Shanahan was almost certainly alluding to his former Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins. However, the team deviated from the plan when trading for New England Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo during the 2017 NFL season in exchange for a 2018 second-round pick. Garoppolo ended the season 5-0, ultimately securing his future with the 49ers as he signed a five-year, $137.5 million deal, which at the time was the largest contract in NFL history on an average year-to-year basis.
During the show, Shanahan also touched on the selection of Trey Lance and assured that the Lance pick was not influenced by the team's previous mistakes in passing on Watson and Mahomes. While he acknowledged the prior flaws, Shanahan expressed that the situation in 2017 and currently are different.
"Hell yeah, I wish I could go back and have Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun," Shanahan said. "I think every other coach on the planet feels the same. But it's two separate cases, and I don't compare Trey to those guys, either. I just know how important that position is; I know where our team's at. We have a totally different team right now, and I know how the years have gone when our quarterback has been hurt."
You can catch the rest of the episode here:
The TK Show
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
49ers sign TE Eric Saubert to a one-year deal, announce RB Patrick Taylor signing
The San Francisco 49ers have announced the signing of tight end Eric Saubert to a one-year deal. The team also officially announced the previously reported signing of running back Patrick Taylor Jr. to a one-year deal.
The 49ers Communications staff provided the following rundowns.
Saubert (6-5, 248) was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round (174th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft. Throughout his seven-year NFL career with the Falcons (2017-18), Chicago Bears (2019), Jacksonville Jaguars (2020), Denver Broncos (2021-22), Dallas Cowboys (2023) and Houston Texans (2023), he has appeared in 84 games
Mark Schlereth talks 49ers offensive line
With the 2024 NFL Draft in the near future, it seems the prevailing thought around the league is that the 49ers will need to address the offensive line. While the Niners do boast one of the league's elite players in LT Trent Williams, the rest of the unit has struggled in spots. In fact, San Francisco's right tackle and both guard positions allowed a pressure percentage of over 20% in 2023.
Former Pro Bowl offensive lineman and current NFL analyst Mark Schlereth joined the No Huddle podcast to discuss the current state of the o-line. He noted that when you force San Francisco out of its comfort zone, the weaknesses upfront tend to show up.
"When they're down, that's where
Brock Purdy sends clear message to Brandon Aiyuk amid contract talks with 49ers
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will be present today as the team reports for the start of its offseason program. Purdy was a little early, as he hosted a youth football camp over the weekend.
Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group spoke to the 49ers quarterback during the event and asked him about one of his teammates, Brandon Aiyuk. The star wide receiver is currently in contract extension negotiations with the 49ers, and the team has emphasized keeping him around for the foreseeable future as an offseason priority.
Purdy has
Brock Purdy hopes Kyle Shanahan makes addition to 49ers playbook
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw for a franchise-record 4,280 yards last season, leading the team to the Super Bowl and earning his first Pro Bowl selection. He held onto the football 39 times on the ground, rushing for 144 yards and scoring twice. This marked a significant improvement over his rookie 2022 campaign when he had 22 carries for 13 yards and a score.
Purdy further displayed his athleticism during the 49ers' playoff game against the Detroit Lions last season, helping engineer a comeback victory while rushing for 48 yards on five carries.
On Tuesday morning, Purdy joined the "Pat McAfee Show," acknowledging that he believes he can contribute more rushing yards if called upon. However, that decision rests with head coach Kyle Shanahan,
