So in case you didn’t know, Jed York spoke to reporters at the NFL owners meeting in Orlando. In those meetings, York had an interesting quote regarding Reuben Foster:
“Ultimately, you can say everything is my call. So, if it comes down to it, if there was something I’m not comfortable with but football (side) was, I would ultimately make that decision.”
Before everyone starts going nuts that York is back to not letting his front office do their jobs and meddling, I’ll come out and say it: he has every right to override them in this situation. This isn’t an X’s and O’s decision, nor is it him going in over his head in a draft choice or trade. This is him looking at an employee of his organization. And his employee has given his organization a bad look, not a polarizing look, or a ignorant look, a bad look. Any owner of a business, whether having their own employees or contractors, doesn’t want their business looking bad from their employees. If York was unsatisfied with how a situation regarding a player’s off-field incidents was being handled, it’s not only his right, it’s his responsibility to override the football minds and rid his business of that mess—because it’s bad for business. Of course, he could take a player who has issues as well
Remember Aldon Smith? Remember all the bad press the 49ers got for how they handled that? Do you think York wants to go back to that? Nuh-uh. He’s got an upstanding employee with a future, that’s good at their job, but if you’re going to go knucklehead and cast a bad shadow over their business, what choice do you have? Remember all the fun made at the Oakland Raiders’ expense for picking up Smith?
And right now, York is staying out of it. It looks like he won’t get involved unless he absolutely has to—which shows he’s grown as an owner. There’s not a doubt in my mind Foster will be kept and given another chance. There’s also not a doubt in my mind if he screws up again there’s going to be serious conversations about releasing him. York may not need to make a decision, he may be on the same page with everyone.
Update: I accidently grabbed the incorrect quote for York when writing the above. It has since been updated with the original quote I was intending.
Despite offseason gains, 49ers still need to crush it at draft (Cohn)
ESPN’s Mel Kiper pegs versatile defensive back to 49ers in mock draft (Biderman)
Could Beckham-to-Rams chatter bring others to the table? (Pro Football Talk)
Jed York addresses Reuben Foster’s status with 49ers (Branch)
Joshua Garnett drops serious weight to compete for starting job (Biderman)
Pete Carroll takes Richard Sherman critiques with “grain of salt” (Pro Football Talk)