Notebook: Mahomes ‘just a freak’ in college, but Shanahan passed
MIAMI — How much did the 49ers study Patrick Mahomes before the 2017 draft? Not hard enough. Head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged with a smile that the 49ers’ research on the Kansas City quarterback wasn’t exhaustive three years ago.
“I didn’t look into him, obviously, as much as I should have,” Shanahan said Tuesday in advance of facing Mahomes in Super Bowl LIV. “I mean, we definitely looked into him, studied all his tape. He was just a freak. Could make any throw. Had the ability to do anything.”
Shanahan had a plan that didn’t involve Mahomes, or any quarterback in that year’s draft:
The 49ers expected to sign Kirk Cousins, with whom Shanahan had worked in Washington, in free agency in 2018.
The 49ers’ only inperson contact with Mahomes, the 2018 NFL MVP, was at the NFL combine.
“I felt very confident that (Cousins) wasn’t going to stay” in Washington, Shanahan said. “So anytime you go into a season knowing that a franchise quarterback is going to be available the next year, it made me a lot more picky with what we were looking at.”
The 49ers had the No. 2 overall pick, which they traded to Chicago and selected defensive lineman Solomon Thomas at No. 3. The Chiefs traded up 17 spots to select Mahomes at No. 10.
That draft also included
Houston’s Deshaun Watson (No. 12), who, like Mahomes, didn’t play in a prostyle offense in college. The 49ers did draft a quarterback that year, thirdrounder C.J. Beathard, and Shanahan said the prostyle system in which Beathard played at Iowa made him easier to evaluate.
“You saw a bunch of talented guys in that draft, but it’s very tough when you watch college systems,” Shanahan said. “You don’t really know until you get someone in the building. You can see ability. You can see talent. But how’s the mind? How do they play in the pocket? How do they process? That’s not just an IQ score. That’s some stuff that I don’t think you can totally test.”
Kittle’s injury: Tight end George Kittle needs surgery on his right shoulder, but it can wait. A long time. Kittle, 26, said he’ll probably need to have surgery after his NFL career to deal with issues that began with two torn labrums in high school. Kittle also dislocated the same shoulder in the 2018 preseason. Kittle wears a sleeve on shoulder to provide stability.
Postseason bonanza: Undrafted rookie Daniel Helm, who was promoted from the practice squad in December, could top his regularseason income in the postseason if the 49ers win the Super Bowl.
Helm earned $199,353 this season, between his practicesquad salary and three games on the 53man roster. In the playoffs, he could earn up to $211,000. Players earned $31,000 in the divisional round and $56,000 in the conference championship game. Players on the Super Bowl winner earn $124,000, and the losing players net $62,000 each.
“Yeah, that’s pretty good: extra paychecks,” Helm said, smiling. “Can’t complain about that. Let’s keep it rolling.” Towel guy: The endless media requests inspired by a Super Bowl appearance means vice president of communications Bob Lange and his staff have been busy since the 49ers won the NFC Championship Game.
On Monday, on Super Bowl opening night, Lange added another duty: papertowel guy.
It was stuffy inside enclosed Marlins Park and the 49ers’ players were sporting NFL-issued white sweatsuits, a combination that led to perspiration.
Lange, carrying a papertowel roll, was handing players at the podium foldedup sheets so they could towel off.
Kittle, shortly after wiping his upper lip, said left tackle Joe Staley was most in need of Lange’s services.
“He was sweating on the bus ride over here,” Kittle said. Hey, Bill: Why did New England head coach Bill Belichick ask for only a secondround pick for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in 2017?
Asked that question, Shanahan said Belichick has not explained, and told a reporter it was a better question for the tightlipped head coach.
Added Shanahan: “Good luck with that.”
A pain in the hands: Shanahan, who played wide receiver in college (at Duke and Texas), was asked Tuesday about Garoppolo’s predraft workout in 2014. Shanahan was preparing for his first and only season as Cleveland’s offensive coordinator, after he and his dad, Mike, were fired in Washington.
Garoppolo held a workout at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. — but there weren’t enough receivers available, so Shanahan, then 34, gave it a whirl.
“I had to get out there, which was frustrating because Jimmy threw too hard for me,” Shanahan said. “My hands were purple the next few days.”