For the second time in as many days, a finalist for the 49ers’ vacant GM position withdrew himself from consideration.
This time it was Green Bay Packers director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst, who was reported to be the “front runner” for the position. A day prior, another Packers executive, director of football operations Eliot Wolf, also elected to stay in Green Bay and decline a second interview.
Candidates for both head coach and GM have been dropping out left and right since the 49ers began their search earlier this month. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport joined Murph and Mac on Friday morning, and explained that while most of the candidates withdrawing actually makes sense, Gutekunst’s decision to drop out is a true head-scratcher.
“Eliot Wolf is a very very respected young executive,” Rapoport said. “My understanding is he was probably not in as good a position to get the job as Brian Gutekunst was. So him withdrawing, signing a new deal made sense to me. Obviously all the other guys were told they would not be brought back for second interviews.”
“The only one that I would say differs from that is Gutekunst from Green Bay. Signing a new deal this morning, staying where he’s comfortable in a place he likes, I get that. But obviously withdrawing from a chance to be a GM when he seemed to be in good position along with George Paton, is something that surprised me. Gutekunst withdrawing is to me the only one that’s different.”
Based on reports, the two remaining executives still lined up for a second interview are Vikings assistant GM George Paton and Cardinals vice president of player personnel Terry McDonough.
Rapoport believes that reports of candidates withdrawing is making things look worse for Jed York and Co. than they actually are, and that typically, a withdrawal is an indication that a team has made a decision on someone else.
“What you’re seeing now is candidates, a lot more than ever, are announcing that they are withdrawing, and a lot of times that means they probably weren’t going to get it,” Rapoport said. “Tom Cable is a great example. I think he was a good candidate for the 49ers. I think they considered him very strongly and the fact Denise York spent an hour on the phone with him is a good sign of that — but he withdrew when he knew it was going to Kyle Shanahan. So I would have trouble lumping that in with some of the other ones.”
Listen to the full interview below.