They're saying welcome. UM, can you tell us a little bit about how you connected with the forty nine ers and uh, you know what what Monday was like? Yeah, I mean, um, yeah, as you guys can probably imagine, Monday's pretty crazy. Um, especially as a free agent, you know,
first time around. UM again, having great people in my corner to be able to um narrow the scope a little bit in terms of you know, um, who I was looking for, so UM, but yeah, I think at the end of the day, it was, UM, a fairly easy decision for me to be able to come here
and um just be able to go to work. And that's what I'm most excited for is to be able to to work with Kyle and you know, Brian Greasy and all the coaches on this staff and again UM, all the players, UM, the great personnel that that is around, UM, this locker room and UM from top to bottom. Just excited to get started this organization and get to work. Sam kind of kind of following up on what you
just touched on there. Some people from the outside would look at this and say, you're you're signing here to be the number three quarterback. Um, it's a little bit of a unique situation with with the injuries. How much did it kind of play into your mind of I would like to get a reset here where I can be in a good situation to kind of build myself
back up here. Yeah, you know, I think, um, I think to be able to find myself in a really um a good organization kind of like what I just said, Yeah, just from top to bottom, right, I mean, being in a really good organization was um a priority for me. UM, being with um really good coaches, UM and really good personnel as well. So um, you know those were kind
of the top things for me. And uh yeah, it's uh, you know, I'm very very happy to be here, UM, but understand that, UM, you know, got to got to continue to work and work hard. I Sam David Lombardi here. You mentioned Brian Greasy in your other answer. He obviously had success with with multiple different quarterbacks last year. Is that something that you know when you're doing your research
for where you want to go? Is that something that you take a closer look at and and have Did you have a chance to ask him some questions before before you signed on? Yeah? Absolutely, UM, I mean the more the more answers, the more information that you can get UM throughout this free agency process, the better UM, and so UM, you know, just to be able to UM understand kind of his thoughts on quarterback play and UM just the way that the way that you saw you know, Trey, Jimmy and then at the end of
the year Brock play. Um, they played you know, with a lot of confidence and they played fast and UM. You know that's something that I was very interested in for sure, and being able to talk with Brian about that, UM was was very eye opening. Speaking of Rock and Trey Lance if you had an opportunity to talk with them, and just how familiar you are? Familiar are you with them in their games? Yeah, I have not been able to talk with them since I signed, very familiar with
their games. I feel like, you know, all three of us are pretty similar. UM. You know, we have the ability to get out and make plays when we need to that way, and we can also throw from the pocket. So I see a lot of similarities in all three of our games. And you know, just excited to work with them and meet them as soon as possible. Hi, Sam, how comfortable are you with what Kyle Shanahan asks of his quarterbacks, So you're familiar with his offensive system. Was
that something that was attractive to you looking at free agency? Yeah? Absolutely, UM, just to be able to you know, understand kind of have an understanding of what it takes to play quarterback in this system. I understand it's very UM there's a lot of different checks, UM, a lot of different shifts, motions, formations, all those things. UM. And you know, I'm very excited, very excited about that opportunity to do that and uh,
you know, just help this team however I can. Hey, Sam, I'm assuming that you know Christian McCaffrey and Steve Wilkes pretty well. UM. Wondering whether you consulted with them, talk with them during that decision making process. Um. Yeah, you know, didn't talk to Steve very much. UM. Had had conversations with Christian, UM, not too much free agency talk, more
just you know, conversations about life. But UM, yeah, you know, I think you know, for me, I think the you know, kind of what I said in the beginning, I was, you know, no matter who I talked to, UM, taking emotions out of it. UM. I was really just focused on those things that I mentioned before. UM, you know, looking into free agency and looking at um, you know, how I can just continue to grow as a player, and those things, UM that I have mentioned earlier really
stood out. Yeah, Sam, how much the last six or seven games of the season, when you won four times and and and played pretty well, how important was that for you and building up all menum for what was gonna come next. Yeah. I think for me, it was just playing within myself. I think that was the biggest thing that those last six games. Obviously, UM, a couple of games didn't go our way, but UM, it was just playing patient. I think that was the biggest difference
for me. Is um, you know, not not forcing things when they weren't. UM, you know, just giving giving our team, you know, because when you when you turn the ball over and when you force the ball in there, UM, it's you know, you know, you can't you can't play um late in the game or have a chance late
in the game if you're turning the ball over. So UM, I think that was the biggest thing with me, Um those last few games of the season was just staying within myself, staying patient and uh yeah, you know I feel like UM you know that that that was some MOMENTUM to be able to build on UM for you know, this next year coming up. But at the same time,
you know, um, there's a lot of work ahead of me. UM, and I understand that that I gotta get going here pretty fast, and UM get going on the playbook and and um continue to work. Hey Sam, you mentioned that you talked to Christian a little bit before you signed with the Niners. Are you looking forward to reuniting with him and Steve Wilkes all now as forty nine ers? Absolutely? Yeah, UM,
Christians a great dude. UM. We became good friends in Charlotte, UM or in Carolina, I should say, And um, obviously UM created a really good bond with coach Wilkes as well, you know throughout the last half of the season. Um, you know last season in Carolina. So UM, you know, just excited, excited to be able to work with Christian again and obviously with coach Wilkes. UM. So yeah, I don't know if I can say I'm excited enough during this press conference, but yeah, I decited to get to work.
Hey Sam, what is your understanding of what you're stepping into as far as your potential role and you know, having a real UM potential or ability to compete, you know, at the very least for the backup role. Yeah, you know, I think for me, it's it's really coming in here and doing every thing that I can to to understand the offense. UM. I know I have my work cut
out for me when it comes to that. UM. So I think that's just my focus right now is is UM, you know, doing whatever I can, UM to help this team win games. UM when it comes time to do that, UM, whether that's me, um being the backup or starting, and UM, that's my mindset on that kind of same note, Sam, have you had a conversation yet with Kyle Shanahan and what kind of did he lay out as as a
plan for you along those lines. Yeah, I think kind of like you had mentioned, UM, there are some unknowns right with with Rocks injury and then and then Trey coming back. UM. So I think those are things you know that you know, with with a good room, with a good quarterback room, UM, you can as long as we stick together and UM we understand that. You know, we just got to work hard and continue to put the best foot forward for each other. UM that everything's
gonna work out. UM. And I think at the end of the day, UM, as long as we're winning games. UM, you know, that's that's the only thing that matters to me. UM. You know, as as I continue to get to know Trey and Rock, you know, and and talking to people around the building about those guys, UM, it seems to
me that they all they care about is winning as well. UM. And you know, obviously as a competitor, UM, you know, you want to play, UM, but at the end of the day, you gotta do what's right for the team, and you know, and and you leave those decisions up to to Kyle, and we know that he's gonna put the best, um, you know, best guy out there and uh, you know, UM and do the right thing that you know, we just need to go out there and win a r. We haven't had a chance to meet, um, Steve Wilkes yet.
He's still there. Sam, Yep, you got me, okay, yep. We haven't had a chance to meet Steve Wilkes yet. UM. You know, I heard only good things about him, especially what um you guys were able to do in the second half of the season there. But how would you describe him and how would you you know, what would you say the forty nine Ers defense is getting in Steve Wilkes. Yeah. I mean he's one of the smartest defensive coaches I've been around so far, um, since I've
been in the NFL. And um, you know, just his ability to coach. Um, you know, the way that he coaches, the way that he gets the back end right, um and ties kind of everything in together, right. Um. I think that's that's something that is rare um to find in a defensive coordinator and coach. Wilkes has that, um you know, and you know it's it's very just the way that he talks. I mean, you guys will meet him soon enough, but um, just the way that he talks about football and in the way that he, uh,
he operates. Um, you know, it's he's gonna shoot you straight as a player and you know, as a as a player that likes to get better, and UM, I'm sure a lot of guys in the locker room are the same way. Guys that want to continue to get better throughout their career. Um. Everyone can appreciate someone who's gonna be brutally honest with you. Um, you know, but in the same breath, he's gonna he's gonna do everything
that he can to get to know you. And um, you know when you're in the hallways and you see him, he's he's a great dude, and he's gonna ask about your family, and um, he's a great family man himself. Um, but yeah, he's just he's a really good coach. Um, from what you know defensive guys said in Carolina and from what I understood as well, and um, just excited to be with him again. Hey, Sam, you mentioned, you know, wanting to be the backup or starting or competing for that.
It sounds like correct me if I'm wrong, but you've been told if you proved to be you're the best quarterback on the roster, then you'll be the best quarterback. You'll be I have the best role and you'll be starting.
Is that accurate? No? I think. I think for me, it's just coming in and doing everything that I can to to learn the playbook and you know, because it is early, you know, just got to do my best to to you know, learn the playbook, digest everything, and you know, have conversations with you know, Brian coach Greasy about um, you know, formations, motions. I mean there's so many different things that go into it. Um, you know. The the last thing that I'm worried about right now
is UM, you know, playtime and whatnot. All right, Appreciate you guys,