There were internal discussions about Brady between Lynch and Shanahan, the general manager admitted. When the possibility presented itself to acquire one of the greatest ever to play the game, the two felt obligated to weigh the pros and cons of potentially pursuing Brady.
After mulling it over for a bit, the two decided that they liked what they have in their current quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, and weren't willing to shake things up by adding the 42-year-old Brady.
Said Lynch: "But within a day or two, Kyle and I looked at each other and said, 'You know what? We really like what we have in Jimmy.' We love everything that he brings, and we really believe it's a long-term answer."
Some within the media (ahem ... Mike Florio) repeatedly called for the 49ers to make a public statement showing their support for Garoppolo as the Brady-to-49ers chatter escalated. Most fans felt Lynch had sufficiently done so at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, and it wasn't needed. It turns out, that was Lynch's and Shanahan's thinking, too, so they opted not to repeat themselves.
"Kyle and I had just made a statement at the Combine how much we believed in Jimmy," said Lynch.
Garoppolo shouldered much of the blame for the 49ers' fourth-quarter collapse against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. Many within the media started to question Shanahan's faith in his quarterback. The decision to stick with Garoppolo over pursuing Brady is a clear sign that the 49ers believe in Garoppolo.
"I would tell you we're more convicted than ever about who our quarterback is, in Jimmy Garoppolo," Lynch continued. "Really excited about, despite the challenges of getting better without a traditional offseason, that he can do that. The guy's done nothing but win since he's been here.
"A lot of people try to pick his game apart for whatever reason. All I know is the guy wins football games, and he's a tremendous teammate. Very talented young man, and I think his best football is still ahead of him."
Lynch and Shanahan did keep Garoppolo informed of their thought process during their discussions about Brady, though. In the end, San Francisco passed on Brady thanks to great faith in Garoppolo, who guided the Niners to the Super Bowl in his first full NFL season as a starter.
"So we're as committed to Jimmy as ever," Lynch added, "and we've had those discussions with him, and that's what was important. If you start chasing every rumor out there and start making a statement on it, you're doing that all the time. Yes, this was a bigger one. The important thing was that we talked to Jimmy and told him exactly what I told you."
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