NFL

Morning sports update: What Kyle Shanahan said to Jimmy Garoppolo after the 49ers considered signing Tom Brady

"Jimmy’s an easy guy to talk to about that type of stuff."

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan speaks with Jimmy Garoppolo. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

By Hayden Bird

3 minutes to read

Like every other sports league, the NHL is considering its options on how or if their season will resume. It’s certain that whatever the scenario is, it will not include fans inside arenas during games. But if the Bruins were to emerge as Stanley Cup champions, would the title be treated the same way?

Boston coach Bruce Cassidy was asked in a WEEI interview if winning in 2020 would be tarnished by the current circumstances. Cassidy acknowledged it would be debated for years, but ultimately, “you’ll have your name on the Cup.”

Jimmy Garoppolo and the Tom Brady rumors: In March, the 49ers briefly considered pursuing Tom Brady in free agency. Yet with former Brady backup Jimmy Garoppolo already installed as the team’s high-priced, Super Bowl quarterback, San Francisco quickly moved away from any plan to sign the 42-year-old.

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Eventually, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said he spoke to Garoppolo about the Brady rumors. Here’s what Shanahan said to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic about his conversation with Garoppolo.

“Jimmy’s an easy guy to talk to about that type of stuff,” said Shanahan. “Jimmy and I are pretty honest with each other. I told him exactly really what I’ve told you. And it’s also fun to talk to him about this type of stuff. [Because] I mean, he worked with Tom. He knows how great Tom is. Jimmy wants to get to there. And it’s important to me that he does, too.

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“I would love to have something like what [Bill] Belichick and Tom have had out there,” Shanahan added. “Those are my expectations. It’s cool when something like this comes up that leads to conversations that Jimmy and I have had. And he knows those are my expectations and it’s cool that I know that they’re his, also.”

Trivia: Only two players in Major League history have won Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the same season. Name those two players.

(Answer at the bottom).

Hint: Both of them were outfielders. One won awards in 1975, the other in 2001.

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On this day: In 2006, the Red Sox reacquired catcher Doug Mirabelli in a trade. Mirabelli had been with the team through its 2004 World Series run, but was traded in Dec. 2005.

But as the Red Sox quickly discovered in the 2006 season, no one could catch a knuckleball quite like Mirabelli. So on May 1, Boston agreed to a trade to bring the catcher back. The only problem was getting him to Fenway Park in time for Wakefield’s first pitch.

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In the end — with conspicuous help from a police escort — Mirabelli was able to reach the ballpark just in time. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees, 7-3.

https://www.facebook.com/RedSox/videos/10153515728811766/

Daily highlight: New Patriots draft pick Kyle Dugger once returned two punts for touchdowns in the same game to help Lenoir-Rhyne rally against Newberry College, 34-21. His special teams ability has drawn praise from college coaches and teammates.

Trivia answer: Fred Lynn and Ichiro Suzuki.

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