Back in 2017, it seemed like Kirk Cousins was headed to California to join the San Francisco 49ers. The interest between both parties was there, with the star QB even reportedly saying he would be a 49er one way or another.
Of course that didn't happen, and it was apparently because of the Washington Football Team's (then Redskins) refusal to deal with Kyle Shanahan.
According to Jay Gruden, who was Washington's head coach at the time, team owner Dan Snyder and former general manager Bruce Allen didn't want to trade Cousins to the 49ers and have him reunite with Shanahan.
Shanahan took over as 49ers coach in 2017. Before that, though, he was Washington's offensive coordinator from 2010 to 2013 and worked with Cousins when he was drafted by the team in 2012.
“Obviously dealing with the Shanahans was something that they did not want to do. I don’t think that they could stomach having Kirk Cousins be successful for Kyle Shanahan… and I think there was still some hope that we could re-sign him,” Gruden said on The Kevin Sheenan Show, via Jake Russell of Washington Post.
Gruden also shared his belief that Washington could have gotten two first round picks and possible two second rounders from the 49ers had they made the deal at the time. Besides, Kirk Cousins was eventually heading for the door anyway since he was franchise tagged for the second time.
It is also worth noting that the 49ers traded for Jimmy Garoppolo from the New England Patriots at the cost of their 2018 second-round pick, which might be also a reason why they didn't explore the Cousins trade.
In the end, Cousins signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2018. Still, it would have been interesting what Shanahan and Cousins could do together had the quarterback landed in San Francisco instead.
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