Sociologist and civil rights activist Dr. Harry Edwards officially began work with the San Francisco 49ers in 1985 as a consultant. In his role, he advised players, coaches and staff on race relations and social issues.
During his time with the organization, he worked and interacted closely with executive John McVay.
McVay passed away Monday at the age of 91. Edwards shared his thoughts on McVay’s unique impact on the 49ers in the following statement:
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I had the privilege of working with John McVay for the better part of 15 years. I have never learned as much, enjoyed my work beyond the classroom more, or felt more accomplished after finishing an assigned project than I did in the wake of my collaborations with John. Exceedingly intelligent, immanently decent and considerate, and always insistent upon the highest standards of competence and integrity, even in the most difficult and challenging of times he brought stability, assurance, and confidence to the 49ERS' franchise culture and facility - if John was in the building, if he had a hand on the helm, there was unfailingly a generalized sense, feeling, and belief that as an organization, as a team we were going to be not just alright, but that we'd come through it all BETTER.
John McVay lived a long, illustrious, and demonstrably contributory life that resonates and reverberates to this day far beyond the arena in the many lives he touched and helped mold - in the lives of players, coaches, staff, even eclectic academic activists like me. John McVay was an exceedingly rare breed- former NFL Head Coach, A-list Sports Executive, "Svengali" to a Coach deservedly regarded as a football and organizational genius, a friend, and just one hell of a MAN.
He will be missed,
Dr. Harry Edwards
San Francisco 49ers
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