Those rumors about a top NFL powerhouse looking to add Tom Brady to their roster last year? It turns out they were, in fact, more than rumors.
Before announcing his (actual) retirement from football on Feb. 1 of last year, there were rumors about Brady possibly signing with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency. And if Kyle Shanahan and company got their way, it would have become a reality.
While speaking to NBC Sports’ Peter King for the latter’s “Football Morning in America” column, Shanahan admitted that he was “serious about” wanting to land Brady before the legendary quarterback retired:
“Yes, I was serious about it. As we talked, I’m looking at Brock, and he’s got his arm in a sling, and I really am not sure I’ve got a quarterback who’s going to be ready for the start of the 2023 season. That started all of this.”
Purdy suffered a torn UCL in the 2022 NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles, and it wasn’t immediately clear when he’d return to action. Backup Trey Lance (traded to the Dallas Cowboys back in August), was also recovering from a season-ending ankle injury, so the 49ers had plenty of question marks at the game’s most important position.
Brady grew up cheering for the 49ers, and it was widely reported that he hoped to sign with them in 2020 free agency.
The 49ers, of course, opted to stick with Jimmy Garoppolo. Brady wound up signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning a Super Bowl 55 championship in his first season with the organization.
And with Purdy stepping up and leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl 58 appearance, it’s safe to say that things have worked out well for all parties.
A city has been renamed Swiftkirchen ahead of Taylor Swift performing three sold out shows there later this month.
The mayor of Gelsenkirchen has renamed the city temporarily for the singer, who will head there on Wednesday, July 17 for three nights.
Mayor Karin Welgen said: ‘As mayor, I am of course very happy that Taylor Swift, currently the most successful singer in the world, will be performing three times in Gelsenkirchen.
‘International attention will therefore be back on our city immediately after EURO 2024.’
Fans posed next to the newly renamed city’s sign which has been installed.
A city has been renamed Swiftkirchen ahead of Taylor Swift performing three sold out shows there later this month
The mayor of Gelsenkirchen has renamed the city temporarily for the singer, who will head there on Wednesday, July 17 for three nights
Fans posed next to the newly renamed city’s sign which has been installed
Head of the city’s public relations department, Markus Schwardtmann said: ‘Today is the starting signal. We will be installing many more signs in highly frequented places in Gelsenkirchen in the coming days.
‘There will be many small and large surprises so that the Swifties in Gelsenkirchen have a lot to discover.’
Taylor wrapped up her Ireland shows over the weekend.
During her second Eras tour show in Dublin, Taylor confirmed that her lockdown album Folklore was inspired by the ‘storytelling’ of Ireland.
The singer, 34, sent fans wild by declaring that the record ‘belongs to them.’
Taylor released her eighth album back in July 2020, and during her latest concern she told the crowd she first started writing songs for Folklore just two days into the Covid lockdown.
‘Folklore’in general, it just belongs to Ireland,’ she said, adding: How I imagined the album world looking [was like] Ireland. Storytelling with lots of different characters. You guys have that on lock, too. That’s very Irish, the storytelling.’
‘I had to create an album where the imaginary world that I pretended to go to every single day while I was writing it… I got to be honest, kinda seemed like Ireland.’
