Sunday's win by the San Francisco 49ers meant more to the organization than notching its third victory of the season and ending a losing skid.
The 20-14 defeat over the Denver Broncos made the weekend a little brighter for Niners CEO Jed York, whose brother Tony York died on Friday at the age of 35.
Jed York was given a game ball after the victory and provided some pretty powerful comments in the locker room after the game.
"This hasn't been the easiest year for any of us," York said. "It's probably the understatement of the year. My brother was a great kid. He loved everything about this, he loved everything about you guys. You know, it was hard for him sometimes, and I think he's at peace now.
"But I want you guys to know this, and I talked to Kyle (Shanahan) and John (Lynch) a little about it last night: Bill Walsh said something...'Champions behave like champions before they're champions.' This team is going to be a champion. I'm going to leave a ring when we get one for my brother. And I want everyone to look around this room. Know how good that we can be. Believe in this brotherhood...believe in yourselves. And it's going to be about mental toughness. It's going to be about what can we get through more than the other 31 teams out there. And we are going to do it. You guys keep fighting your asses off. And I'm going to get my brother a ring."
"This game was definitely for him," coach Kyle Shanahan said, via the San Jose Mercury News. "Getting to know the Yorks the last two years, the one thing that was so apparent to me about Tony, the times I've been around him, he was the biggest Niners fan out of any of them and really out of anyone I've been around since I've been in San Fran.
"For us to have a win today and with what happened to him (Friday), it means a ton."
