John Lynch’s Hail Mary was incomplete.
The 49ers general manager, in doing his due diligence, once asked Bill Belichick about Tom Brady’s availability after being told Jimmy Garoppolo was off-limits, according to a Fox Sports report.
Insider Jay Glazer relayed the story about Lynch, a former Fox commentator, Sunday, a little less than a week after the 49ers and Patriots consummated a shocking Garoppolo trade.
The talks between the two sides had been in the works for months, and originally Belichick told Lynch that his prized backup could not be pried away.
So, what about the Patriots’ prized starter?
“What did you just ask me?” Belichick said, according to Glazer.
“Did you just ask me if I would trade Tom Brady? Did you just ask if I would trade the greatest quarterback of all time?”
Lynch wanted to be clear: “Is that a no?” he asked.
It was. And so the 40-year-old Brady, the five-time Super Bowl champ and four-time Super Bowl MVP, is the quarterback of the Patriots future, Belichick deciding a second-round 49ers pick would be enough to lose Garoppolo, an able backup and possible heir.
Can’t blame Lynch for trying.