Oh, Trent Baalke. You have to give the man credit, the stories from his era of stewardship over the 49ers are, if nothing else, highly entertaining.
Baalke is now the general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who the 49ers play this weekend. Incidentally, they also have former 49er C.J. Beathard rostered as their backup quarterback.
One of Baalke’s seven first-round picks in his 49ers GM tenure was Jimmie Ward, who has some mixed memories about his time with Baalke. On Thursday, Ward recalled how Baalke was a bit too eager in his involvement with players.
Ward first thanked Baalke for drafting him, while also noting that he hasn’t kept in touch with him.
Then he recalled one of the funnier stories about Baalke misunderstanding Cover-3 and asking Ward if he didn’t know how to play Cover-3 as a rookie. Ward dropped the bit that he said he’s been holding in for eight years.
“So I gotta give him credit and I gotta love him up, but I still think about the day that, I want to say it was the Giants game and we’re playing Cover-3, and he came up to me and he was like Jimmy, ‘You don’t know how to play Cover-3?’
And I’m like, ‘Man, I’m the Buzz player. I’m doing the right thing. You need to look at your other guys who’s over in the hook, need to push the hook on the slant.’ But that’s something I never forget,” Ward said. “I couldn’t say that back then. I can see it now because the players’ not here and Trent’s not hee. Like, come on man….
But shout out Trent. I wanted to get that off my chest. I’ve been waiting for eight years to get that off my chest, man.”
He also noted the difference between Baalke — who was not a former player — giving players advice, including coaching up him and Jaquiski Tartt, and current GM John Lynch — a Hall of Fame safety — giving advice.
“John was a player though. You know he can’t help it. That’s different,” Ward said. “John was a player, he can’t help it. He has a gold jacket. Trent never played. John played, he has a gold jacket. You can’t keep John off the field. John probably still wants to play, and he doesn’t say too much.”