Head Coach Kyle Shanahan Press Conference

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan

Press Conference – December 9, 2024

San Francisco 49ers

Opening comments:

“Alright guys, injuries from the game: [OL] Ben Bartch ended up having a high ankle sprain, most likely will go on IR later this week, [RB] Isaac Guerendo, foot sprain, we’ll evaluate him over the next few days, see if he’s got a shot, [LB] Dee Winters, ankle day-to-day, and [S] Malik Mustapha, chest/shoulder, he’s day-to-day also. That’s it.”

Is the plan still to have LB Dre Greenlaw be able to play on Thursday night?

“There’s a chance to. We’ll see. I haven’t talked to him yet, so we’ll see when he gets in here tomorrow, how he’s feeling, how practice goes Tuesday and Wednesday and make our decision then.”

Do you have updates on DL Nick Bosa, T Trent Williams, the other guys?

“Yeah, Nick Bosa still in the same situation, we’ll evaluate him as this week goes. Trent, no different. [OL] Aaron Banks cleared the protocol so he should be good to go, and [LB Demetrius] Flannigan-Fowles, he’s also still day-to-day with his knee.”

After looking at the film, how did you feel S Talanoa Hufanga did out there with Malik Mustapha?

“I thought he did a real good job. Loved having Huf back. Even the first play of the game, for him to get in on that tackle. His communication, everything, just helping the defense get lined up and stuff is extremely good and it was a real good first game for him.”

What went into that decision and how difficult was it to go with Malik as the starter over S Ji’Ayir Brown?

“Just how Malik’s been playing. I think he’s been playing at a high level. He’s been one of the better players on our defense, I think, here over the last month or so. So it’s nothing against Tig. We still want Tig to be out there, but when we had to make a decision, we kept Mustapha out there.”

Do you feel like Ji’Ayir Brown’s production on the field or play on the field is maybe, I know he played really well last year, is it up to that standard or is it a little bit less?

“No, I think it’s the same as last year. I think Tig’s playing like a good starting safety. We just, Huf’s been our guy there and has done some big things when he’s been healthy, as everyone knows with Huf. And Huf had a great week of practice and we wanted to get him on the field and we had to choose one guy to come off. So, we thought Mustapha had earned that over his play the last month to stay out there and we’re good with our decision.”

Obviously, QB Brock Purdy is fine. He talked about that kind of strange hit he took at the end of the game. He went back in. So there’s no problem with him at all?

“Yeah, no problem at all. He talked that way, play after it he seemed fine, but you never know until the next day. But trainers talking to him and stuff, he felt good and no lingering issues from that play.”

The defensive line got to Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams quite a bit. What did you see from the defensive line and their production? It seemed like they were swarming pretty well.

“Yeah, I just loved how they rushed as a group, gave him very few exit windows. I thought we had really good coverage, which made him, took away the number one most of the time, number two a lot of the time. And whenever he had to get to a number three, our D-Line was there. So I just think collectively and individually they had a really good game.”

It seems like RB Patrick Taylor Jr. might be forced to start. Obviously, you didn’t necessarily view him, I’m sure, in a starting role, but you know how this goes. What attracted you guys to him in the offseason and led you to acquire him?

“We just, we look for guys who have the ability to make your team and in order to have the ability to make your team you’ve got to have the running skills that we like, to where we feel if your opportunity ever comes that you’re going to be a tough runner who hits the right holes and fights for yards. And also, if you can’t make one of those top two positions, how well you can help on special teams. He had done both of those things in his career at Green Bay and he’s been doing them for us since he got here. And if Isaac can’t go, it’ll be his opportunity. And I think as you guys saw him run yesterday or as we did earlier in the year versus Seattle, he’s a solid, good back.”

Isaac, after the game, didn’t have a boot on. It seemed like when he was putting his shoes on, like there was no problem. But sometimes, I guess, the next morning is more difficult. Is he like 50/50, you think, or do you have any idea for Thursday?

“The only idea I have is what I told you guys. He’s got a foot sprain and definitely couldn’t go today. And so, we’ll see if he can go on Thursday, but definitely can’t go today. It’s a quick turnaround, so we’ve got to evaluate him hard each day. I’ll be surprised if he does much tomorrow, but hopefully Thursday will be enough time for him.”

With WR Jauan Jennings, what strikes you most about his progression at split end and what have been some of the coaching points that go into that?

“Just lining up in some different spots. We still, it’s different verbiage and everything. He’s listening to certain words and stuff that tell him to do things and where to line up and everything, for his whole time here. And then when you move to a position he has never played before, it’s just completely different verbiage and stuff on how to get him lined up, some of the spots in the field he’s at. But Jauan just, he does it like he does everything. Jauan goes as hard as he can in every single situation. Doesn’t matter whether it’s the ball is in his hands, he’s running around or he’s blocking, doesn’t matter whether it’s a deep throw, an underneath throw in practice or in games. Jauan is always just going a 100 miles an hour and playing as physical as he can.”

And this compacted timeframe, have you already put the Bears game to bed with the players? Have they seen everything and you’ve gone over it with them?

“No, we don’t have, we don’t ever address that on a Thursday night game. Players do all rehab and stuff today. The coaches come in, we put it to bed as coaches to correct our mistakes and everything. But we do it a lot faster than we normally do, because right now it’s, in our mind it’s already Tuesday afternoon as coaches and in a few hours it’s got to be Wednesday afternoon because we’ve got to get into the third downs and nickel and everything so we have everything ready for the guys tomorrow. It’s kind of a crammed week and kind of gotten used to it over the years on these Thursday night games. It’s a tough four days, but it can lead to a really fun three days if you handle your business right.”

TE George Kittle mentioned last night that it had been some time since you had players speak at the team meeting on Saturday night, but that you had asked DB Deommodore Lenoir and Brock to speak. What went into that decision and why did you think it was important?

“Just trying to change it up. Sometimes I’ll have somebody speak differently and just to switch up the routine a little bit. But I just, when you ask guys to speak, you want to make sure it’s guys that people truly respect and they respect how they play and how they carry themselves and how important the job is to them. And those are two guys who, we’ve got a number of guys like that on our team, but those two guys, I just know how much our team respects them on and off the field.”

What was your sense last week watching the new guy RB WR Israel Abanikanda practice, just as far as how quickly he would be able to get into the mix if you needed a third running back?

“He was meeting with [running backs coach Robert] Bobby [Turner Jr.] and everybody extra. He’s getting his reps on the field. We script it all so it comes along out there, but that’s more in the meeting room and everything, just being able to line up and do everything we ask. His opportunity is getting closer, especially Isaac getting banged up. So, you’ve always got to have three guys in the building in case situations like this happen. And hopefully it doesn’t have to come to that, but if it does, we expect him to be ready.”

How do you feel about Thursday Night football? It’s arguably the biggest game to date when we’re talking about 49ers playing the Rams for NFC playoff purposes and you’re having to do it on a 72-hour turnaround. I don’t think I feel sorry for you or Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, but I do feel for like Guerendo, Dre Greenlaw and on the other side, Los Angeles Rams WR Puka Nacua and Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp. What are your thoughts on TNF?

“I think there’s good things and negative things to it. I think that’s why the players all kind of like it. It’s also when you’re hurting from the Sunday game, sometimes it’s why guys can’t go on the Thursday game where they could go on Sunday. It just kind of depends on how the day went before and how they’re going. But I think when you are feeling good and you’re able to pull it off, I do think the guys really appreciate the three-day Bye Week. You don’t get many breaks in this league, with you only getting one Bye Week and one Bye Week in 17 weeks isn’t enough. So I think sometimes it’s crucial to have these Thursday night games because it is great for the mental and for the health physically for guys to get away for these three days. But it is always such a huge challenge when guys are banged up that they’re just not ready to go on four days rest where they could be on seven. So, it’s got its pluses and minuses to it.”

You said last night this team is filled with gritty guys and a lot of those guys are your best leaders, but you felt like sometimes that grit hasn’t been there at the end of games. You’ve been doing this a long time. All team dynamics are different, but can you put your finger on what has been missing or why that has been?

“There isn’t one thing to say. It comes down to making the plays and getting it done when you are in those situations. And I could say you are not in those situations every single week. We were versus Tampa Bay, and we got it done. So you could say that was a real gritty win and we played with some grit there at the end, but that’s just trying to put a word on the situation. It’s how hard these games are to come by at the end. Teams that can pull those off consistently usually are the teams that are in the playoffs. And when we have been in those situations, we haven’t pulled many of them off this year. I always keep going back to those three games we lost. Tampa was the opposite. We were able to get that one done. But usually most teams are going to be in a lot of those games, and you’ve got to win more than you lose, and it hadn’t been that case for us. We wanted to make sure that coming into this game, we knew our backs were against the wall and we thought it was going to be an opportunity to come out and show that we can do that and finish it no matter what happens. I think we came out so well at the beginning and we continued that it was able to be a little bit more comfortable there at the end which is always more fun. But we were prepared for any type of game and we planned on winning that anyway it would go.”