If you go back to the first days of Kyle Shanahan’s tenure with the 49ers, there was a clear interest in Kirk Cousins. Shanahan has admitted that he and the front office thought they’d be able to acquire Cousins as part of their reasoning for why they passed on a quarterback (potentially Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson) that first year.

Instead, Cousins was franchise tagged by that team in Washington for a second time, and ended up signing a three-year, $84 million deal with full guarantees.

Apparently, it was not for lack of trying on the 49ers’ part.

According to a piece published Friday by The Athletic’s Alec Lewis, the 49ers were willing to part with the pick that turned into Solomon Thomas in order to acquire Cousins.

Per Mike Shanahan, through Lewis, Washington refused to pick up the phone. From the story:

That offseason, Kyle Shanahan, who had been named the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers after stops in Cleveland and Atlanta, tried to trade the No. 3 pick in the 2017 draft for Cousins, according to Mike Shanahan. “He knew Kirk knew his system, and he knew the type of guy Kirk was,” Mike Shanahan said. “But (Washington) wouldn’t even return the phone call.”

It’s long been one of the true “what could have been”-s in the 49ers’ lore. Instead, they stuck with Brian Hoyer and C.J. Beathard before acquiring Jimmy Garoppolo in 2018.

Now, the mantle has been passed to Brock Purdy, who will start his first season opener Sunday against the Steelers.