Head Coach Kyle Shanahan Press Conference

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan

Press Conference – January 9, 2023

San Francisco 49ers

Opening Comments:

“Alright guys, just one injury from the game. [LB] Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, he had a neck sprain, he’ll be day-to-day. Guys coming back this week, [OL] Aaron Banks and [LB Dre] Greenlaw, hopefully we’ll get him back in practice at some point this week. [DL] Kevin Givens is good to go and [CB] Ambry Thomas irritated his ankle, we’ll see how he progresses. Go ahead guys.”

What’s your immediate reaction finding out last night that you’d be playing the Seattle Seahawks again? What does that do for the preparation having already prepared for them twice this season?

“Really all it did was make us lose Monday because we found out we were playing Seattle and now we know we’re playing Saturday, so once we found out after the game, we quickly realized that Monday was going to be Tuesday for us, so we just got right to that point.”

How did you both RB Elijah Mitchell and WR Deebo Samuel come out of the game and what did you see from them in their first game back?

“They came out great, first they came out healthy, which was very important and with them being able to come out healthy, I thought it was great that they both got to play some and get back in there and I think it’ll help them going into this week.”

With losing Monday, what is your plan for the week?

“Just treating today like a Tuesday, we weren’t going to have a team meeting. I told the guys after the game, regardless whether we played Saturday or Sunday, we weren’t going to do a team meeting or anything today. I just wanted those guys working all on recovery and things like that. And now that we know that we’re playing Saturday, this Tuesday will be a Wednesday, so we got today to get our whole game plan in. Players will do their recovery, they’ll come in tomorrow and for that, we’ll most likely go half-speed, we won’t do a full speed practice or anything like that and we’ll just get that going on Wednesday.”

When people talk about how it’s hard to beat a team three times in the season, what did you learn from that aspect last year and what do you see of this matchup against the Seahawks?

“I don’t really look at it as you have to beat someone three times. I just look at it as we have to beat them on Saturday. That’s the game, I don’t think the other games have to do with it. It all comes down to this and that’s how it was last year too. There was no difference to me in that. Teams know each other pretty well. You don’t get to surprise teams that much in situations like this, but that’s how it’s been with us in Seattle for a number of years here and usually every time we play it’s comes down to the wire, usually that last possession and that’s what we’re working and ready to fight for.”

You spoke about QB Brock Purdy last night, not taking a sack for 17 yards. Is he a guy that doesn’t make the same mistake twice or at least does it very little?

“He has done pretty good at that so far. He’s hard on himself. Usually he knows what he has done right or wrong before you even get to him. Just watching the film last night on that [Arizona Cardinals LB Isaiah] Simmons has a pretty good forty and he creeped up on him pretty fast rolling to the left, so I think he was well aware that he shouldn’t be taking a sack there, but it wasn’t the easiest situation either for him with him chasing him down, running to the left right there.”

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is the coach you’ve gone up against the most as a head coach. What is your relationship with him like and particularly the aspect that he’s more of the defensive guy and you the offense?

“I’ve always had a lot of respect for Pete, just knowing him over the years. I think the day that I moved with my family out of Saratoga High School, I think him and his son Brendan moved in. I think he was a year older than me at that school, so I’ve always had a connection with him that way. I’ve talked to him over the years, even when he was coaching at USC, but he’s been real fun to compete against him over the years. He’s a hell of a coach. He’s done as consistently as anyone and he always has his guys ready to go.”

Have you gotten any head coaching requests for defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans or GM requests for assistant general manager Adam Peters?

“Denver put in a request for DeMeco and Tennessee did for Adam Peters and [director of player personnel] Ran Carthon.”

What can you say about DB Jimmie Ward and how he’s fit into your nickel spot and when did it really seem to click for him where he was feeling more comfortable?

“I think each week he gets more and more comfortable. I think coming off the injury it took him a little bit just to get back into football anyways and then to be thrown in at that position, I think those first couple weeks were tough, just feeling like a fish out of water a little bit, getting his feet under him, having to go that sometimes guard the fastest receivers on the other team, but he’s really worked at it. He’s put in a lot of time, he practices every single day, he does walkthrough the exact same way he does full speed stuff and it’s a huge credit to him and the coaching staff with just how far he’s come learning that position and how talented he’s always been and enough to play it.”

With the way this offense is going and the players you have on it, does it bring back some memories of the way you had it going entering the postseason with the Falcons in 2016?

“We were playing at a really high level at that time going in, I think we’re playing at a high level right now. I also felt that way in ‘19 about our offense going into playoffs too. I think you need to be doing that, especially to have a chance to get through these games, but nothing really matters how you’re doing going into it. It’s how you do that first game. And if there is a first game and you play like you’re capable, then you get the privilege for a second game, but this season can end fast and that’s why these playoffs are such a big deal and that’s why they’re so fun to watch for everybody because it’s just one game. It’s just one moment and we have to do everything we can for the next six days to get ready for that and when we get to those three and a half hours, just cut it loose.”