In a move that caught the attention of the entire NFL, two major wide receiver acquisitions chose to join the San Francisco 49ers despite receiving bigger financial offers elsewhere. Mike Evans and Christian Kirk both took less money to play for Kyle Shanahan, and the 49ers head coach is making it clear what that decision really means.

“I think that says everything about how important football is to him”, Shanahan said about Evans during an interview in Southern California. “He thinks football first, and with us being the best football situation for him. And when you have guys like that, to me, that gives you a chance to do something special”.

Evans’ résumé is basically the definition of elite at the receiver position. We’re talking 11 seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards, six Pro Bowl selections, and first-team All-Pro honors as a rookie. Standing at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, the veteran wideout brings a physicality and skill set that’s rare in today’s NFL. Shanahan emphasized just how unique Evans is to work with, saying he’s never had anyone quite like him despite coaching Hall of Famers in the past.

“Mike is a unique dude”, Shanahan explained. “He’s a Hall of Famer. Never had a guy truly like Mike. Had some Hall of Famers, but they’ve all been wired differently. To get a guy with Mike’s length and what he can do down the field, how big of a competitor he is, I just love the guy that we added, and how committed he is to winning. And that’s why I think he chose to come to us”.

Christian Kirk, who also comes from Texas A&M like Evans, is no stranger to success either. The 5-foot-11 receiver spent eight seasons bouncing between the Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Houston Texans before landing in San Francisco. Like Evans, Kirk had opportunities to cash in elsewhere, but chose to prioritize being in the right football environment.

“Very similar to Mike, [Kirk] could have gone some other places too, but he wanted to be in the right situation and he liked our place”, Shanahan said. “Always been a huge fan of Christian since Arizona. I feel lucky to get both of those guys”.

What makes this even more interesting is that both players literally left money on the table, and California’s state income tax situation makes that choice even more significant. They could have signed with teams in states without state income taxes, meaning they passed on deals that would have been worth considerably more in take-home pay.

Now Evans and Kirk are joining a young receiving corps that includes Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins, and Junior Bergen. The veteran experience alone is going to transform that group’s dynamic, and you can bet Shanahan is already working on creative ways to get these weapons on the field together.