York is principal owner after purchase of shares
ORLANDO — The San Francisco 49ers’ de facto owner is set to become their principal owner.
Jed York, 43, who has had the official title of CEO while overseeing the franchise for the past 13 seasons, is purchasing enough equity from his mother, Denise DeBartolo York, to prompt the change in title, a league source said. The move is designed to ensure the 49ers remain in the York family for generations to come. It will require NFL approval, which is expected to be granted this week during the league’s owners meetings.
The Yorks own more than 95% of the 49ers, according to Sports Business Journal, which first reported Jed York’s incipient change in title. It’s not known what percentage of the team Jed York will own after the 49ers receive league approval. Denise DeBartolo York and her husband, Dr. John York, will remain co-chairs and shareholders.
Accounting error: General manager John Lynch said the 49ers were forced to forfeit a 2025 fifth-round pick last week because they overpaid a player by $75,000 during the “COVID era” and didn’t initially report the clerical error to the NFL.
“We tried to recoup (the money) instead of reporting it,” Lynch said. “So that’s where our culpability was. We’ve learned from that. We eventually did report it.”
The 49ers also had their 2024 fourth-round pick moved back four spots as part of the NFL’s discipline.
“We have a difference of opinion on the severity of the discipline,” Lynch said, “but the league decided to impose that.
So you take your medicine and move on.”
Did the player who was overpaid keep the money?
“Would you?” Lynch asked, smiling.
Injury news: Tight end George Kittle and cornerback Charvarius Ward have had offseason surgery for core-muscle injuries. Both are expected to be fully recovered by the start of training camp in late July.
“That’s a conservative timeline,” Lynch said. “We could have rushed that, but why do that in the offseason?”
Meanwhile, Lynch indicated linebacker Dre Greenlaw won’t be ready to play in the regularseason opener because of the torn Achilles he suffered in the Super Bowl loss to Kansas City last month. The 49ers recently signed linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, who will assume Greenlaw’s spot if he’s not ready.
“Achilles (injuries) take a while,” Lynch said. “Dre will tell you he’s going to be back Week 1. I don’t put anything past Dre, but we have to be smart.”
Armstead decision: Lynch said defensive tackle Arik Armstead, 30, declined to take a pay cut from the 49ers because he was confident he could sign a lucrative contract on the freeagent market. He was correct; after the 49ers released him, Armstead landed a three-year, $43.5 million deal with the Jaguars that included $28 million guaranteed. Armstead had been scheduled to earn a $17.4 million base salary that the 49ers wanted to reduce significantly.
Armstead has missed 13 games over the past two seasons because of plantar fasciitis, a hairline ankle fracture and a torn meniscus.
“Ultimately, he wanted to go see what his value was,” Lynch said. “And good for him because it was robust. You saw what he got in Jacksonville. And so he bet on himself and good for Arik. But we just made a decision. And part of it was that he had to miss some games. That happens. At his number, we had to adjust it.”