San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York was absent from the NFL owners meeting in Atlanta on Wednesday, with team CEO Al Guido attending in his stead. The absence comes as York finalized a plea deal with prosecutors following his arrest over the weekend on prostitution-related charges.
York allegedly paid a woman $140 for sexual services after responding to an advertisement on a known prostitution website. He was arrested in Ohio, where he has reportedly been residing at his parents' home over the summer. York has not been present at the 49ers' training camp.
The NFL owners meeting was a special session convened to approve the sale of the Seattle Seahawks to Vinod Khosla for $9.62 billion, a transaction that was unanimously approved. Khosla had been a limited partner with the 49ers but will relinquish that stake.
Despite the circumstances surrounding York, the 49ers organization has aimed to maintain a sense of normalcy. The team's training camp has already navigated challenges, including head coach Kyle Shanahan's car accident and numerous player injuries.
Shanahan addressed York's situation on Tuesday, stating, "I got to talk to Jed the last two days and today. Obviously it’s a very tough situation… it’s extremely fresh, it’s a very, very personal situation." He added, "I got a lot of respect for Jed. I got a lot of respect for [his ex-wife] Danielle. Their family does mean a lot to me. With it being this personal I’m trying my very best to keep it that way."
The NFL has confirmed it will review the matter under its personal conduct policy, indicating that York could face disciplinary action beyond the legal proceedings.
