SANTA CLARA, Calif. — With an assist from San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, there will be no shortage of Beathards converging upon Canton, Ohio, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions this weekend to see longtime NFL executive Bobby Beathard join the game’s most exclusive club.
Beathard’s family is even providing a soundtrack to the festivities.
On Friday, Tucker Beathard, a country music artist and the grandson of Bobby and brother of 49ers quarterback C.J., released a music video for a song titled “Hall of Fame” that is dedicated to his grandfather. Casey Beathard, Beathard’s son and himself a longtime country music songwriter, wrote the song in advance of Saturday’s induction ceremony.
The video appeared on the Hall of Fame’s official website and features Tucker Beathard singing and highlights from his grandfather’s career interspersed with some clips of the other inductees.
“Ain’t nobody in the world more proud than little old me,” Tucker Beathard sings. “But even if the folks who make that call, never would have called his name, it wouldn’t change that spot he’s got on the wall in my real world Hall of Fame.”
Bobby Beathard is one of the most well-known talent evaluators and team builders in league history. He spent 38 years in the NFL, 22 as general manager in Washington and San Diego. Bobby Beathard also helped construct a pair of Super Bowl champions as the Redskins’ GM and won two other Super Bowls as a scout for the Miami Dolphins. He was selected for this year’s Hall of Fame class in February.
That football blood made its way to C.J. Beathard, who is the backup to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in San Francisco. Because the Niners’ training camp coincides with the Hall of Fame ceremonies, Beathard, who is in his second season, did not want to ask if he could attend. As it turned out, he didn’t need to.
Shanahan made it clear to C.J. Beathard earlier this week that his attendance — in Canton, not training camp — was mandatory.
“I know it means a lot to him,” Shanahan said. “He would never tell us, and he definitely didn’t ask. Then when I told him he had to go and he didn’t have a choice, then he told us how thankful he was.”
C.J. Beathard plans to fly to Ohio on Saturday, which actually works well with the 49ers’ schedule because it’s their day off. He then will attempt to fly back in time for Sunday’s practice, though Shanahan expects Beathard to miss it.
For C.J. Beathard, the chance to be there with his family and grandfather is especially meaningful. Earlier this week, he called Bobby Beathard “one of my biggest, if not the biggest, role model in my life.” C.J. and his grandfather still speak on the phone regularly, and those conversations aren’t limited to just football.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for him,” C.J. Beathard said. “So it means a lot to him allowing me to go support him and see him get inducted. That’s a pretty big deal.”
When Beathard took over as the Niners’ starter last year, he said he leaned on his grandfather for advice. Drawing on his experience putting together teams of varying degrees of success, Bobby helped him stay positive through the various ups and downs.
Still, even as Bobby Beathard receives football’s highest honor, his grandson marvels at how grounded he remains.
“That’s the funny thing,” C.J. Beathard said. “He’s so humble. He’s excited, I’m sure, but if it were up to him, he would probably want nobody to know it. That’s the funny thing about him.”
Source : ESPN
