How Mahoning Valley’s Dr. John York encouraged the San Francisco 49ers to draft Brock Purdy
There is a back story to the drafting of Brock Purdy, the starting quarterback for San Francisco in Super Bowl 58. Of course, the story has a Mahoning Valley connection.
Purdy, who threw for some 267 yards in leading the 49ers to come back and beat Detroit two Sundays ago to get to the big game, was drafted as the last person – No. 262 -- in the 2022 NFL draft. That draft incidentally took place in Las Vegas, the site of Sunday’s Super Bowl.
Peter King, the NFL reporter for NBC-TV, relayed the following story to Christopher “Mad Dog”
Russo this week while the two were broadcasting on Sirus Radio along “Radio Row” at Mandalay Bay on the Las Vegas Strip in advance of Sunday’s games.
It seemed at the time his team was contemplating the last pick in that draft, head coach Kyle Shanahan told King the front office for the 49ers was having a tough time deciding which player to take. The team needed help on both sides of the ball, King related Shanahan recalling the scenario, but there was disagreement among coaches and other front office personnel about who would be the best choice.
What advice did Dr. John York give?
Enter Dr. John York, age 74, co-chairman of the board of the 49ers, husband of owner Denise Debartolo York and father of team President Jed York.
Dr. York, who was accustomed to dealing with cancer research in the Canfield area, told the front office brass to just pick the best player available. And who was that? Dr. York asked.
The front office and coaches told Dr. York they all agreed the best player available was Purdy, who was coming off a stellar season as Iowa State quarterback.
Since becoming Mr. Irrelevant, the league’s name for the last pick of the draft, Purdy has a 47-to-14 touchdown-to-interception ratio and has led his team to two straight NFC Championship berths and one Super Bowl appearance. It can’t compare to the record of former 49er great Joe Montana, but it is a good start.
After all, Purdy was the first 49er quarterback named to the Pro Bowl since Jeff Garcia in 2002.
The draft advice by Dr. York is just another reason why the York/Debartolo clan has a golden touch when it comes to decisions about the San Francisco 49ers, now 6-3 in Super Bowls.
Who is Dr. John York?
Dr. York is a retired cancer research pathologist and board member of Leeds United. He left academic study of maladies like lymphoma and leukemia to establish DeYor Laboratories in,Boardman in the mid-1970s. He sold the lab in 1993.
With the NFL, Dr. York serves as chairman of the league’s International Committee and also sits on the NFL Audit and Business Ventures committees. His family bought shares of the English soccer club Leeds United in 2018.