Head Coach Kyle Shanahan Press Conference

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan

Press Conference – August 11, 2025

San Francisco 49ers

How does RB Jeff Wilson Jr. look after three years away from the 49ers?

“He looked good today. Has a different haircut, so I didn’t recognize him right away, but he got a few carries today and looked like Jeff.”

Is that an easy transition for him being in Miami and now coming back here? Can you just kind of pick up where he left off?

“Yeah, I believe so. The verbiage is real similar and a lot of the styles and runs and are very similar, and we got a lot of time with Jeff. Awesome player, awesome person and we’re pumped to have him back in here.”

What’d you like the most when you re-watched the game about your offense?

“I thought we blocked better than I anticipated. There’s a few that I thought got away from us from the sidelines, but when I watched the tape, I was encouraged with some of the young guys. I liked how [RB] Corey [Kiner] ran. I thought he ran hard. We’ll keep pushing him to get better as a runner, but I just loved the mentality he ran with. Those are the things that stuck out the most.”

Any update on CB Upton Stout? You said that yesterday you guys were going to evaluate WR Jacob Cowing and CB Renardo Green. How are they doing?

“We were hoping Upton can go today. It was feeling too sore, so we’re being safe with him. I’d be surprised if he goes tomorrow, hopefully he’ll be back by the Raiders practice. Jake had a really good day to day, hit all his times, so he’ll get out there tomorrow. Renardo didn’t, so we’ll be safe with him and probably hold him this week.”

Is it soreness in his calf, Upton?

“Yes.”

WR Jordan Watkins?

“Jordan Watkins ended up having a high ankle sprain. He’s going to be out about a month.”

Did you guys know that during the game?

“No. He didn’t even feel it after the game. He was surprised. He actually reported some other things, came in the next day saying how it was a little sore and that maybe we should look at it. We weren’t that worried about it until we got an MRI and it showed a high ankle. So, who knows the date on those, but those usually take about a month to me.”

Any more details on S Marques Sigle?

“Sigle was good. His knee checked out fine. He was out there practicing today.”

Does Sigle have a chance to grab that starting spot at safety?

“Yeah, I’d say so. I think there’s a lot of open competition there. I thought he had a really good game, special teams and on defense, so I wouldn’t rule him out for that.”

Have you talked to Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll yet? Or does that happen later?

“We’ve talked earlier, our coordinators have got all the practice schedules, but Pete and I will talk probably the next couple days.”

Are they in a similar situation to you? It looks like you guys are going to go with a lot of guys that aren’t going to be able to practice. Can still get good practices out of that?

“We’re in a similar situation as we were last year where it gets tough to do these at this time. But I also feel our team is in a different situation just in terms of guys that need this. We’ve got a lot more young guys, a lot more new guys. So, I really do want to get a practice versus someone else, but we’ll see how these next couple days go. Whether we can even do threes. We couldn’t do threes today, couldn’t do one-on-ones today, things like that. So, we’ve had to cut things out. Hopefully we won’t have to cut too many things out versus Vegas, but we’ll see after the next practice.”

How has WR Demarcus Robinson been doing these few weeks and has the League given you any heads up whether there’s an appeal process going on?

“Yeah, there is an appeal process. I’m not sure how it’s going. So, I always just plan for the worst and hope for the best. But he’s done a good job here. We’ve really enjoyed him as a guy, knowing he won’t be in there, most likely for those first few games. He’ll play a lot more in the preseason, but hopefully we can shorten that with an appeal process.”

Without Robinson and without WR Brandon Aiyuk, I guess Watkins is now iffy, do you feel like you have enough wide receivers on the roster for Week 1?

“It’s been an obvious situation to me for a while, so it’s stuff we’re working on. It’s stuff we’re trying to really put pressure on these younger guys. That’s why it was really unfortunate for Watkins to get that setback because we really believed he could have helped us early. But he needed to practice to be able to help us. So, it’s a minor setback for him. Hopefully he’s back around then, but he’ll still need to pick up on the practice time. It gives opportunities to a lot more guys. So, all these guys got opportunities to make our team this year and opportunities to help us here, definitely in Week 1. But it’s a lot more open than it’s ever been before.”

What is your take on WR Robbie Chosen? He was here last year and didn’t make the team. Has he taken a step since you guys brought him in last year or has he been progressing?

“Yeah, I believe he’s ahead of where he was last year. He came in towards the end last year for similar situations. We were out a number of guys last year and Chosen is a guy who has got a good resume. He’s put some good things on tape over his career. He came in and got an opportunity, showed some talent. We ended up offering him a practice squad spot. He chose to go to Miami. Then the same opportunity’s come up this year. We’ve had some injuries, got some open competition, and we worked him out, he looked good. I think he’s in better shape than he was last time he came. I think he’s got a better understanding of the playbook than last time, and I think he’s got a better opportunity because of our situation to have a chance to make this team too. But he’s got to catch up.”

After watching the film, do you have any more to add about your young defensive linemen that have played?

“I was proud of them because we’ve been so down on D-Linemen that those six guys were the six guys who got us through all of practice on Thursday and those are the same six guys interior-wise that got us through the entire game on Saturday. We got one back today, but we only had the seven guys, so one fresh guy today. So, I’ve been very proud of those guys battling. A lot of those guys need the reps. It’s been good that they’re getting all the reps, but I also like their mentality that they’re pushing through it. I know they’re tired, I know they’re sore, but this is what will make them better in the long run.”

You were clear when you drafted WR Junior Bergen that if he makes this team it’s going to be as a return specialist. Has he been a pleasant surprise as a receiver?

“Yeah, he has. That’s why we brought him here, because of his return ability that he had in college. But he’s gotten a lot more opportunities going into this camp being down more guys than we initially expected. I think he’s shown he is ready for it. He’s been able to catch the ball good, he’s learned the playbook, we’ve been able to put him in there and use him as a receiver, and that definitely helps his chances.”

Do you have any better idea now about Brandon Aiyuk’s return and when he could actually play for you in a game this season?

“Not really. I don’t know what I’ve said in the past, but I kind of view all those guys around the same time. Whether it’s [S Malik] Mustapha, whether it’s [QB Kurtis] Rourke, or whether it’s Brandon. They’re all different stages. With where they’re at, I always see them around Week 6, which means that could be Week 10, means it could be Week 5, but that’s the area where I start thinking about it, which is a long way away. I know it’s not Week 1 or anything like that, so it’s something I’m not really thinking about too much.”

You have six or seven of the NFL’s better players. Is it possible that they may not play at all in the preseason?

“It’s possible. But, I doubt it. Each guy’s different, but I still like to play our starters. I’ve just got to see how it pans out and what the risk-reward is with it.”

When it comes to WR Jauan Jennings, is there any concern from the coaching staff with the seriousness of his calf injury? I know like last season there was a calf situation with RB Christian McCaffrey and then it turned out to be a lot worse. Is that the same kind of tone with this one or not so much?

“No. McCaffrey’s was Achilles Tendonitis that had been bothering him for a while and never got better. Jauan is a calf that he missed all last training camp with. It is something that we don’t think will be too serious, but it’s bothering him now. Depending on how much he misses, I mean, I always want guys out there. It helps him, it helps the team. But, Jauan was all right last year too missing some time.”

With so many receivers likely unavailable to begin the season but coming back roughly Week 6, how do you approach right now? Do you start looking at a more high-profile, a free agent WR Amari Cooper for example, somebody like that to bring in?

“I mean, it is a challenge. There’s possibilities later. None are guaranteed. There’s lots of things that tie to that, who’s available, how much they’re available for, and the situation our team’s in salary cap-wise and what we can do. But yeah, we’re looking into everything. We’ll always try to do the best but try not to just panic and do something to survive a tough situation at the expense of what would really hurt you later in this year and definitely next year.”

You have a lot of salary cap this year, but not in the next few years. Is it important to roll some over? Are you thinking about that?

“That’s more a math question for people who study it, but I also know what you see on the salary cap right now when people get stuff when it happens isn’t always exactly the same as it looks. So, it’s when signings are accounted for and when the bonuses go in, so don’t have as much as it seems.”

What did you think of the special teams operation as a whole for the first preseason game?

“By no means perfect, but I was happy with the style that they played at. A number of guys showed up, a number of individuals. We’ll keep pushing them, we want better, but I was happy with the first game.”

You were happy with CB Chase Lucas and Marques Sigle in the game. After watching the film, did that validate what your thoughts were?

“Yeah, it did. It’s definitely from a defensive standpoint. Special team’s not quite the same, but definitely from a defensive standpoint.”

Assistant head coach/offensive line Chris Foerster has said that OL Spencer Burford is probably the reserve left tackle and that leaves a reserve right tackle. Do you know enough about OL Andre Dillard to gauge whether he could be, or has the potential to be a legitimate swing tackle?

“I mean, studying him coming out of college we know he has the ability to. He’s played in this League for a few years. So that’s what we brought him here to do or at least compete with these guys on it. And today was the first day we got him out at practice, so I think it’s a good start for him to hopefully be able to earn that spot.”

RB Isaac Guerendo, we saw him out there kind of working. Same kind of deal with my question with WR Ricky Pearsall. He seemed kind of like he was going closer to full speed somewhere in there. Is he close to a return and if so, is it possible that we see him Saturday or no?

“No, it’s, he’s going full speed because it’s his shoulder. So, he can run full speed. He’s just, he’s got to protect himself so it’s his shoulder that’s going to keep him out a couple more weeks.”

How is DL Yetur Gross-Matos coming along?

“He’s coming along, I was hoping to have him back this week. Didn’t go as good yesterday as we anticipated. We can see for possibly Thursday. But I’m guessing it’ll be another week now.”