Head Coach Kyle Shanahan Press Conference

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan

Press Conference – December 1, 2023

San Francisco 49ers

Opening comments:

“All right, the injuries for the game: [RB] Jordan Mason will be questionable, [WR] Ray- Ray [McCloud III], questionable, [DL] Arik Armstead, questionable. Go ahead.”

How did those guys look today getting out there doing limited work?

“They looked limited.”

What’s one thing about the Eagles that keeps you up at night?

“Almost everything. A real good team. Really good offense. Really good defense. Really good special team. So, it goes back and forth.”

OL Aaron Banks is not even on the list. You mentioned before he played where he might not have under ordinary circumstances. Obviously he had no setbacks at all, right? He’s ascending?

“Yeah, I think that game really helped him because you never know until you get into it. He made it through it, didn’t have any setbacks. So it gave him a lot of confidence. Then a long weekend, by the time we came in here Monday, he was feeling real good.”

Did you guys make a claim on TE Zach Ertz?

“No, I don’t think so.”

This is a question in relation to early in the NFC Championship Game. Whenever a team has a play like that pass down the field and you don’t have a clear replay or angle, but the team rushes to the line of scrimmage, have you thought about how you’ll handle that in the future? Did that play influence anything you guys do moving forward?

“That play didn’t. I mean, I handled it the same way I always have. When they rush to the line, if it’s a big play and you don’t have any clue, I’d throw it. I think I did that earlier this year versus Jacksonville. I think it was Jacksonville. Do you remember? I threw one and then I think we ended up getting a pick a couple plays later. The problem with that one is everyone on our headsets thought he caught it and then they showed something on the replay that looked like he caught it. So then we didn’t care. Some people go hurry up after an explosive, sometimes on offense they do it just to be safe. But then we had no reactions or anything, so we didn’t want to waste the timeout because the replay we saw the way we thought they were acting from everyone who saw it live from our side, we thought it was complete. Then when we had the ball next time I hear from upstairs, they just saw another angle it was incomplete. So, nothing changed there. If we don’t know at all, and it’s a big play, I usually throw it. But we just thought he caught it because of what we saw and the fact that no one live from where we were standing knew it was questionable.”

Does it work both ways where a team will rush to the line of scrimmage even if they make the play?

“Definitely. Yeah, that’s something teams do just automatically. Sometimes it gets you to waste a timeout and sometimes because after explosives, sometimes it’s the best to run down there and go real fast because the defense isn’t quite ready.”

What do you think about Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni that makes him a good head coach?

“Watching how accountable he has his team, how hard they play, the style they play. I love the commitment to the run game that they do on offense. I think that’s one of the coolest things. It’s not just that they’re committed to the run, but they know what they’re doing too. They know how to use the quarterback as a runner. They know how the adjustments defenses have to make. Then they know when they are making those adjustments, how to use them as a pass. So I’ve got a lot of respect for him, just schematically in what they’ve done there. I don’t know him the best, but [Philadelphia Eagles Senior Vice President, Communications] Bob Lange speaks very high of him, so he must be a cool dude.”

Did he change much schematically with two new coordinators or are they doing the same things?

“No, they’re doing the same things. Just like I’ve explained with us, always when you have different coordinators, it’s a little different personality and sometimes you can see that. But no what they do is what they do and they’re really good at it.”

After last year’s NFC Championship Game, you and a lot of your players kind of had the same vibe that you guys were really excited and prepared and thought you had a great plan for that game. I realize these are new teams, it’s different. Do you have similar emotions for this one?

“Yes. I mean, very rare that we haven’t felt that way. Especially I think then we were on a big win streak into the NFC Championship Game. So we felt the same way going to that game that they felt and probably as the two AFC teams felt. Everyone’s real confident at that time. I think that’s what we made a big statement on. The one thing that was weird about that game is none of us had been in a game that you lost all your quarterbacks and that’s what was a little different. But, besides that we thought it would’ve been a real good game. Doesn’t mean we would’ve done anything, but we were excited to play in it. You go back and watch the tape, I love how we played. The intent of it, we were ready for it, but didn’t go the way we wanted it to.”

The MVP has become kind of a quarterback award. Do you think RB Christian McCaffrey has made himself a legitimate candidate for that honor?

“Yeah, I think without a doubt. I know it goes to quarterbacks the majority of the time, and there’s plenty of worthy quarterbacks, but you definitely can’t say that Christian’s behind anyone. He’s as valuable in this league as anyone.”

Their linebacker situation and they’re down to their backups starting. What is your assessment of who you guys are going to face?

“I mean, I know when you have injuries it’s always a challenge. It happens to us at positions throughout the year and throughout plenty of years. It’s just part of football. They’re going to play their best guys and they’re going to play in the scheme just like the other guys do. They’re not going to make up a bunch of new stuff. So, you find when you get out there. You don’t go back and really evaluate all those guys, but you just get ready for their defense.”