On the eve of the Super Bowl, San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan reflected on how Brock Purdy became the team’s quarterback with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.

“I was sure Brock was worthy of the fourth round, and we put a fourth-round grade on him,” Shanahan told Peter King ahead of his Football Morning in America pre-Super Bowl column. “There was no way we could take him for our team. But we’re sitting there in the seventh, and all these picks go by, he’s still there.”

At the time, the 49ers had both veteran QB Jimmy Garoppolo and 2021 No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance. However, with a fourth-round graded signal-caller on the board, Shanahan reveals he had to tune out the pleas of his coaches and stick to his guns.

“That’s when I get to hear our linebacker coaches, all the scouts, other coaches, everybody who’s talking, saying things like: I can’t believe my guy is still there in the seventh! I love this guy. Or, We got all these needs! You traded those ones last year! We don’t need a quarterback to be our third guy. Or, Kyle! We can still get him as a free agent. He’s not gonna get drafted. I mean, it’s all coming down on me,” Shanahan recalled.

Despite the clamor for other players at other positions, Shanahan got the backing of his owner to make the pick he felt best about.

“I’m always trying to check myself on this stuff,” Shanahan told King. “The pick’s coming up and I remember [club co-chair Dr. John York] asking, ‘Who’s the best player out there?’ I go, ‘Well, there’s no doubt Purdy’s the best player.’ He goes, ‘Then what are we talking about?’ I was like, ‘Well, there’s other spots. Also, we might be able to get him as a free agent for $10,000 after the draft.’ Dr. York can’t believe it. He’s looking at me like, I don’t get why there’s discussion if you guys think he’s the best player.”

Ultimately, Kyle Shanahan wasn’t convinced the 49ers could sign Brock Purdy as a free agent, so he pulled the trigger and took his guy in the NFL draft. That is a big reason why the 49ers are in the Super Bowl this year, and Shanahan is happy he did what he did.

“John and I, we took Purdy. And thank God we did.”