Source: Jed York to take over as 49ers’ principal owner originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
ORLANDO, Fla. — In a transactional move designed to keep the 49ers in the York family for generations, Jed York is set to take over as the NFL franchise’s principal owner.
York will buy enough equity from his mother, Denise DeBartolo York, to take over as the principal owner with approval expected from the league’s other owners at the NFL Annual Meeting, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Bay Area.
Sports Business Journal’s Ben Fischer first reported news of the impending title change Monday.
York, 43, will continue as the 49ers’ CEO, a position he has held since 2010, when he began overseeing the football and business sides of the organization.
His parents, Denise and John York, continue to be significant shareholders in the 49ers. Forbes valued the 49ers at $6 billion in 2023.
While it is not known how much of the 49ers that Jed York will own, the family holds more than 95 percent of the franchise, per SBJ.
The 49ers have five Super Bowl titles in their trophy case, each of which was earned during the ownership of Edward J. DeBartolo Jr., brother of Denise York.
DeBartolo stepped down as chair and CEO of the 49ers in 1997 in anticipation of an indictment for gambling fraud in Louisiana.
The following year DeBartolo pleaded guilty in federal court to a felony charge of failing to report an extortion attempt. Louisiana’s former governor, Edwin Edwards, allegedly extorted $400,000 from DeBartolo to be granted a casino license.
DeBartolo never regained control of the 49ers, and Denise York took over the 49ers in a 2000 settlement in which the siblings divided their assets.
Then-president Donald Trump pardoned DeBartolo Jr. in 2020.
The 49ers have won six NFC West titles and appeared in three Super Bowls since the Yorks took control of the franchise.
The 49ers are coming off a season in which they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs, 25-22, in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
With coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch leading the 49ers since 2017, the franchise has established their most stability at the top of the organization in nearly 30 years.
Mayo: Drafting a QB is a ‘priority’ but Patriots ‘open to deals’
Mayo: Drafting a QB is a ‘priority’ but Patriots ‘open to deals’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
ORLANDO – Light rain fell on the NFL coaches as they stiffly assembled for their yearly “team picture” in front of the Ritz-Carlton at about 5:30 p.m. Sunday at the Annual League Meeting.
Fresh off three hours cooped up in a conference room, their expressions faces said, “Let’s get this over with…” instead of “Cheese.”
Jerod Mayo stood between Cincinnati’s Zac Taylor and the Jets’ Robert Saleh. Click. Click. Click. Over. And another sign the Patriots are a different team than they were in January, since the annual photo was something Bill Belichick never sat for.
The veering continued after the picture as Mayo spoke briefly but openly with Boston reporters about the team’s plans with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
“Obviously quarterback definitely is a priority,” Mayo acknowledged, echoing a response he’d given earlier in the day to NFL Media. “With that being said, we’re still open to any type of deals that come our way. We’re very far in the process but we still have a long way to go. I definitely feel like we still have time to nail down our prospects and who we’re gonna go after.”
Even if Mayo’s comments were a variation on what we’ve reported the past two months – that QB is the default setting; a final decision isn’t made; offers will be listened to – that kind of transparency is unusual.
It’s very true the clandestine approach worked well enough to land six Super Bowl victories. There’s also no harm in letting intentions be known when you’re in the top three, as New England is.
If the Patriots are open for business at No. 3, de facto GM Eliot Wolf will not be laying the foundation for a deal here in Orlando. Wolf is not part of the Patriots’ small contingent, which includes Mayo, owner Robert Kraft, team president Jonathan Kraft, VP of media relations Stacey James and Mayo’s assistant, Bobby Brown.
Mayo, who will also speak Monday morning at the AFC coaches’ breakfast, was asked how far along the team is in its work on the top-tier quarterbacks.
“It’s hard to put a number as far as a percentage,” he replied. “Remember, there are other positions besides quarterback. We’ll be at 100 percent when the draft gets here. Just not yet.”
As for the team’s effort to add offensive weapons in free agency, Mayo said, “I think the most important thing for us was to get our people back here. Re-sign our players, the Mike Onwenu’s of the world. We have some good players that we wanted to keep and that’s part of the culture we want to build. Obviously, disappointed that (Calvin) Ridley went in a different direction but we’re good and I like the direction we’re going.”
Mining the Ritz lobby for outside opinion, one NFC GM rhetorically asked, “Don’t they have to take a quarterback?”
Meanwhile, an NFC executive said of the “trade-down” idea, “I would always listen. But if you have a guy you love where you’re selecting, you have to (take him). But there are some badasses (at other positions) if you (trade down).”
Kittle, Ward on track for 49ers training camp after offseason surgery
Kittle, Ward on track for 49ers training camp after offseason surgery originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
ORLANDO, Fla. — George Kittle and Charvarius Ward both underwent successful core muscle surgery this offseason, 49ers general manager John Lynch said Monday.
Lynch spoke to local Bay Area media while at the NFL Annual Meeting, noting that Kittle and Ward both should be ready to return to full action at the start of training camp. The organization will play it safe with their players during the earlier offseason program.
“[Ward will] probably be a training camp guy,” Lynch said. “He’s already moving. He’s doing great, he’s been around and he’s doing well with that. Kittle is on the same plan. That’s a conservative time. We could rush that but why in the offseason? They will be moving and things but in talking full action, that’s the expected time table.”
Ward confirmed to NBC Sports Bay Area in February that he underwent the procedure after posting a photo of himself shortly after the surgery.
Ward suffered the injury in Week 14 after only four defensive snaps but was able to rehab and manage the injury through the rest of the season. The Pro Bowl corner played the majority of the 49ers’ defensive snaps outside of their Week 18 contest, where most starters didn’t play beyond the end of the first half.
There was no specific point of injury for Kittle, but it was something that had been bothering the tight end over time. The All-Pro decided it was in his best interest to have the procedure after the end of the season in order to give himself time to heal by the start of training camp.
“I’ve had that surgery myself when I was playing and it’s pretty high success rate of healing,” Lynch said. “It feels a lot better once you get it done because it hurts constantly having that core tugging at you.”
Caution during organized team activities (OTAs) and mandatory minicamp will help prevent any complications in Kittle and Ward’s rehabilitation, and both should be available for the 49ers’ Week 1 opener.
Why Reid believes 49ers QB Purdy has things ‘under control’
Why Reid believes 49ers QB Purdy has things ‘under control’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
ORLANDO, Fla. — Super Bowl-winning coach Andy Reid has the quarterback generally regarded as the best in the game.
He emerged from Super Bowl LVIII with an appreciation for the 49ers quarterback, too.
Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Patrick Mahomes threw for 333 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a 25-22 overtime victory over the 49ers on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.
Meanwhile, Brock Purdy could have been in line for the MVP if San Francisco had held on after scoring a field goal on the first possession of overtime.
“Yeah, I have a lot of respect for Brock,” Reid said Monday at the NFL Annual Meeting. “He does a nice job. I really don’t care where he got drafted, right? It doesn’t matter to me.”
Purdy was the 262nd and final pick in the 2023 NFL Draft from Iowa State. He won the 49ers’ starting job with his performances at the end of his rookie season.
With Purdy entrenched as the starter, San Francisco traded Trey Lance to the Dallas Cowboys last summer. Lance was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
In his first full season as the starter, Purdy finished fourth in the league MVP voting. He led the NFL with a 113.0 passer rating and set the 49ers’ franchise record with 4,280 yards passing. Purdy led the league with a 9.6-yard average per pass attempt.
“He’s just a good player,” Reid said of Purdy. “He sees the field. He’s got good accuracy, great timing with his receivers, and he’s calm. You feel like he has everything kind of under control.”
Purdy had a solid game in Super Bowl LVIII, completing 23 of 38 pass attempts for 255 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.
San Francisco became the first team in NFL history to take the lead twice in the fourth quarter and once in overtime and still lose.
The 49ers drove 66 yards for the go-ahead field goal to open the overtime period. Then, Kansas City took over. Mahomes threw a 3-yard, game-winning touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman to cap a 13-play, 75-yard drive for the Chiefs’ third Super Bowl title in the past five seasons.
