Getting out of his car at Su’s Mongolian Restaurant in Santa
Clara, Jed York, son of San Francisco 49ers’ owners John York and
Denise DeBartolo York, was there to have dinner with my husband and
myself to continue our conversation started more than a month ago
during a party in Morgan Hill.
Getting out of his car at Su’s Mongolian Restaurant in Santa Clara, Jed York, son of San Francisco 49ers’ owners John York and Denise DeBartolo York, was there to have dinner with my husband and myself to continue our conversation started more than a month ago during a party in Morgan Hill. My husband suggested Jed ditch the tie and loosen the buttoned collar on his shirt. Jed complied with a relieved sigh stating it had been a busy week with the visit from the NFL officials. The smell of fresh Mongolian barbecue beckoned us into the restaurant and we coached Jed in the ways of smashing the thin meat strips into the bowl and piling them high with vegetables just in the way the Silicon Valley techies have for more than 20 years at the El Camino Real institution. It seems Jed York would like to fit in with the locals as he plans to stay in the area for awhile.
Settling into a cordial dinner conversation is easy with Jed. Well-educated and traveled, Jed moves fluidly from discussions about Shakespeare and his London semester abroad taking classes at the famous Globe Theater to his early memories of attending Superbowls with his Uncle Eddie (Ed DeBartolo) and the strategies of running an NFL team. With degrees in finance and history from Notre Dame, Jed mixes the practical with the fascinating, holding history in high esteem for its rich teachings. As the oldest of four children, Jed appears to hold the position seriously, giving advice and sometimes lifesaving tackles to his younger siblings.
“We were in Yosemite one year with my dad at an overlook and my younger brother started running toward the edge. It looked like he wasn’t going to stop and my dad’s legs started to give out from under him. He knew he couldn’t go back to Denise and say ‘we’re missing one’ so I ran and tackled my brother to the ground before he went over the cliff. My brother stood up and said, ‘Hey, why did you do that?'” Jed looked to my husband for sympathy in the older brother responsibility market. Being the oldest of his family and having a wild younger brother, my husband stood in agreement knowing the pressure to protect. The older brother often gives out advice, too.
“My mother is suffering from an empty nest this year. My twin sisters are working at Joseph Phelps Winery in Napa Valley for the summer. They’re working really hard and loving it. I’ve told them, ‘Do what you love and you’ll be successful at it,'” Jed said.
He appears to be taking his own advice, working for the family business as the director of strategic planning for the 49ers. Having attended the 1988, 1989 and 1994 Superbowls where the ‘Niners found victory, Jed intends to see that the ‘Niners go there again. As second generation ‘Niner fans, Jed York and the new head coach for the ‘Niners, Mike Nolan, plan to change the thinking of the organization from maybe going to the Superbowl to willing it to happen. Jed has seen a metamorphosis in the thinking since Nolan has arrived from “let’s win one, to we can win, to this year’s mantra – we will win!”
Taking care of the interests of their players is one strategy Jed said is the thrust of being a good organization. With an average career in the NFL only lasting four years and the total salary budget being about $100 million for the 49ers, Jed works his big brother influence with the young players and their financial health.
“We offer a two-for-one 401(k). Unfortunately, very few players last year took us up on it. It’s hard for them to think about life after football,” he said.
Focused on the plan to build a new football stadium in Santa Clara, York has little time for the carefree life of a 20-something. Meeting with more than 1,500 people in Santa Clara, Jed spends most of his evenings talking with residents and leaders in the community about the ‘Niners intention to bring the NFL to the South Bay. One observation York has made in meeting so many South Bay couples is the equality in the relationships to run their businesses. “Their abilities are almost interchangeable,” he said.
What about Uncle Eddie?
“My uncle said recently that he’d like to see more games this year. I talk to him on the phone quite often. He tells us what we do wrong and what we’re doing right,” laughed Jed.
For now, Jed has a lot of weddings to attend this summer and a 2007 season to look forward to.
Ciao for now.
