Blue Jays manager John Schneider reveals Steve Kerr wrote him a letter after World Series loss
Blue Jays manager John Schneider reveals Steve Kerr wrote him a letter after World Series loss
Kari AndersonSun, March 29, 2026 at 6:08 PM UTC
0
Even with time, the Toronto Blue Jays’ narrow World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers still stings. But Blue Jays manager John Schneider can take comfort in a lovely note from a high-profile admirer — despite receiving it several months after the fact.
This weekend, Schneider revealed to The Athletic that Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr wrote him a letter following Toronto’s loss. But Schneider did not receive the letter until he returned to his office at Rogers Centre last week, where it was sitting on his desk.
The letter was dated Nov. 2, 2025 — the day after Toronto’s loss in a wild Game 7.
“As I read it,” Schneider told The Athletic, “I was like ‘holy s***.’”
In the letter, Kerr praised Schneider for his leadership and poise during the series, and congratulated him on the season. Kerr also evoked the 2016 NBA Finals, when the Warriors also lost in Game 7 to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Golden State went on to win the next two NBA championships, both times over the Cavs.
Advertisement
The letter, in its entirety:
Dear John,
I don’t know but I felt compelled to reach out after watching your incredible leadership on display during the World Series. Your poise, your strength, your empathy and your confidence all shined through in all the toughest moments. I can see why your players love playing for you. I was just so impressed every time you were interviewed.
Congrats on an incredible season and I’m so sorry for the heartache. We lost Game 7 of the ‘16 Finals to Cleveland in similar fashion, and the pain was real. But what always survives through the tough losses is the character and connection of the group. The loss won’t define you, but the way you and your guys carried themselves afterwards will.
Much respect, Steve Kerr
To Schneider, it didn’t matter that the letter had sat in his office all winter, unread: Kerr’s words served as validation for how the Blue Jays were approaching the 2026 season.
“It was the message we’ve been preaching all offseason and in spring,’’ Schneider told The Athletic. “The run was great, and the heartbreak was real, but it’s not going to define who we are. We all went through it together. What we’re going to be defined by is how we persevere through it.”
Schneider added that Kerr was a coach that he has looked up to, including as he consulted podcasts and books on leadership after taking over as Toronto’s manager in 2022.
“To have him watch me,” Schneider said, “and how I handled the pressure and decisions and media. To have him kind of give me the stamp of approval was pretty cool.”
The Blue Jays extended Schneider’s contract earlier this week, keeping him on as manager through 2028.
Source: “AOL Sports”
