© Bill Streicher | 2018 Dec 3
Kyle Shanahan’s relationship with his former employer in Washington is reportedly so fractured, that doing business with Dan Snyder and Co. has been a nonstarter during his time in San Francisco.
It was then a surprise to many that the 49ers were able to execute one of the steals of the NFL Draft, in acquiring seven-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick and a 2021 third-rounder. It was a surprise to Shanahan too — who worked in Washington with his dad from 2010-2013 — as the coach revealed in an interview with Tim Kawakami on Tuesday.
“I worried that it could be for obvious reasons, but it ended up not being,” Shanahan said of his involvement being a dealbreaker. “That’s why I was kind of surprised when it happened, and I was pumped that it did. It was nice having (Washington assistant GM) Kyle Smith and Ron Rivera there. Those are the ones that John (Lynch) dealt with the whole time. I wasn’t involved in it at all. So those guys were able to pull it off and get it done.
“The longer it took, I definitely wasn’t always so positive about it. But I ended up being wrong and it ended up working, and thank goodness for that. I’m pumped to get Trent here. We’ve got him at least for a year. I know he’s hungry as could be, just talking to him. I was with Trent when we drafted him and Trent’s a hell of a player, a hell of a guy. The guy is so fired up to play football.”
Ultimately, Shanahan is overjoyed the 49ers were able to fill their need at tackle following Joe Staley’s retirement, without sacrificing their desire to select a defensive lineman and wide receiver in the first round.
“You’ve got to get lucky, too. Can’t say that we knew that it would go that way. We hoped it would. But it all worked out.”