It’s been five months since the Blue Jays’ World Series dreams ended in heartbreak. The Dodgers managed to go back-to-back, pulling off a thrilling comeback to take Game 7 with a final score of 5-4. Now, after a busy offseason, Toronto is ready to make another run at the championship. And all this while, a handwritten note sat on manager John Schneider’s desk waiting to be read.

Schneider returned to his office at the Rogers Centre last week to take charge of the Blue Jays ahead of another regular season. On his return, he found an envelope on his desk awaiting him. As he opened, Schneider found a card with a handwritten message bearing the Golden State Warriors logo. It was a letter from the NBA icon Steve Kerr, reported The Athletic. The letter had the date November 2, just a day after the Blue Jays suffered their Game 7 loss.

“Dear John,” Kerr had written. “I don’t know you, but I felt compelled to reach out after watching your incredible leadership on display during the World Series.”

Before becoming permanent, Schneider first became interim manager of the Blue Jays in 2022. He displayed exceptional leadership following the Blue Jays’ disappointing 2024 season, when they finished in last place in the AL East division with only 74 wins.

Fast forward to 2025, the Blue Jays finished first in the AL with a 94-68 record, won the division title, and made a bid for the World Series. This year, the Blue Jays enter the season as a strong contender to finish at the top.

Schneider’s numbers show that he has managed 564 MLB games, recording 306 wins and a .543 winning percentage.

In the letter, Kerr expressed how he understood Schneider’s pain on a deeper level, writing about his own experience. The Golden State Warriors’ head coach wrote about how, in 2016, they lost to LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 in a similar way.

“Congrats on an incredible season, and I’m so sorry for the heartbreak. We lost Game 7 of the ’16 Finals to Cleveland, in similar fashion, and the pain was real,” Kerr drew reference to his own experience. “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.”

The former NBA champion ended the letter on an inspiring note. Kerr, a Dodgers fan, encouraged Schneider and the Blue Jays for what lies in the future, emphasizing one loss won’t define them if they can come back stronger.

Kerr and the Warriors made their comeback by winning two consecutive NBA titles after 2016. Schneider, too, will certainly hope for a similar result. Meanwhile, Schneider is happy to receive such a message just as the season begins.

“Pretty cool” – Schneider expresses satisfaction at Kerr’s approval

Discovering that an NBA icon like Steve Kerr had sent him a handwritten note amazed Blue Jays manager John Schneider.

“As I read it. I was like ‘holy s—.’” Schneider told The Athletic.

Kerr’s encouraging words reassured Schneider, as he was trying to preach the same to his players. He, too, had advised them not to dwell on the loss and focus on the future. Kerr’s words came as a validation for the Blue Jays’ manager.

Schneider is ready to persevere, and he wants to teach his players, too.

“It was the message we’ve been preaching all offseason and in spring. The run was great, and the heartbreak was real, but it’s not going to define who we are,” Schneider stated to The Athletic. “We all went through it together. What we’re going to be defined by is how we persevere through it.”

Schneider also expressed his desire to meet and thank Steve Kerr for his message. He told The Athletic that the Blue Jays’ president of baseball, Mark Shapiro, would help him connect with the Warriors head coach.

Schneider revealed that coaches and managers like Kevin Cash, Terry Francona, and Kerr have inspired him in his own journey as the Blue Jays’ manager. Hence, the letter served as a stamp of approval.

Schneider said, “To have him watch me, and how I handled the pressure, decisions, and media. To have him kind of give me the stamp of approval was pretty cool.”

The Blue Jays have extended Schneider’s contract as their manager. He signed a two-year extension in March, which will keep him in Toronto through the 2028 season.