Head Coach Kyle Shanahan Press Conference

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan

Press Conference – September 5, 2024

San Francisco 49ers

Opening comments:

“[DL] Yetur Gross-Matos, knee, will not practice. [LB] Dee Winters, ankle, will not practice. [RB] Christian [McCaffrey], calf/achilles, limited. [RB] Isaac Guerendo, groin, limited. [WR] Jauan Jennings, ankle, limited. [S Talanoa Hufanga] Huf, knee, limited. [OL] Aaron Banks, finger, limited. Go ahead.”

You said Christian McCaffrey, achilles?

“Calf slash achilles.”

Is the achilles a new injury?

“No.”

For Jauan, you said ankle. Is the oblique fine now and the ankle is new?

“Yes.”

How about a WR Ricky Pearsall update? We saw him out here on Tuesday and I guess he was here Monday as well. How is he kind of being involved with the team and just how was he doing overall?

“It’s kind of been amazing, just watching him. Getting to see him on Sunday and Monday, for him to be able to walk around and stuff with that happening, talking to people at the ER, them saying out of like 100 people, two people survive that. And to be able to see him the next day and just that he is able to walk, he’s coming to meetings, he’s doing all that. But he wants to go a little while, a week or so without trying to work up a sweat. And then after that, he’ll start his rehab and progress to getting back.”

What was that like for you on Saturday when you found out and kind of the emotions that you go through throughout all that?

“It was really tough. We didn’t know exactly, we just knew that he got shot. And that was all we knew. And then it took us about an hour to figure out what the hospital was and things like that, because we just made a couple calls to people, so we had it from them. But none of us knew where he was or anything. And this was, it’s like at 3:30 pm. By the time that we got to him, it was good because by the time we found out where he was, we got to him. It was real cool, he FaceTimed me. That was like the first time I knew he was alright. I got a call 20 minutes before that saying he was conscious, he was talking, that he was going to survive and all that, but then he FaceTimed me right after from his bed and was real upbeat. It was really amazing. Because that hour when you hear about a shooting, we didn’t know where it was or anything, so you just assume the worst. Then to hear it was in the chest, you don’t think that usually goes that well. Then actually to talk to him like 15 minutes after that, and just talk to a guy that seems like he’s okay. Obviously, he had a bad, horrible injury and there’s a huge mental side that’ll go to that, that he’s got to work through for a while. But it was a lot of emotions.”

Are you kind of letting him be as involved as he wants to be at this point? And obviously, with the advice of medical staff and whatnot, but if he wants to be around the team he can?

“Oh yeah, of course. I think when anyone goes through something like that, and everyone cares about him so much, but I told the team, everyone wants to show him they care, and so what do you do? You go up to someone, you ask them how it happened and stuff. It’s a pretty traumatizing story, and I told the team, we don’t want to make him relive that 80 times. So he knows how much everyone cares about him. He loves being around. It’s all up to him with that stuff. But everyone is trying to give him space in that way and just let him work through this process because the physical thing is one thing, but it’s a pretty big mental toll on someone too.”

President of football operations/general manager John Lynch mentioned that one of the first things that Ricky said to him was the party should go on. What were you going through in your mind about whether that was appropriate or not?

“If anyone knows us, we would never do something inappropriate. We care about our teammates more than anyone. You’d have to be on a team to understand that, first of all. But yeah, we were definitely ending that. We thought we were going to, we were assuming the worst for a while. It happened about two hours before it. John went down there, I’m waiting to get the call to see what the deal is and then when Ricky called me and he was totally fine, the things he said and being on FaceTime, then it felt really good to get everyone over. It was actually a really cool opportunity. Got the whole team together, got a TV out there for everyone to see, and then he got to FaceTime with the whole team and just let everyone kind of know or let everyone feel kind of how he made me feel when I spoke with him.”

Did you feel the mood of the party change once you called Ricky?

“Yeah, once everyone walked in. No one knew the exact story, so I was able to reassure everybody as soon as they got there that he was totally fine and it’s a miracle. I think where he got shot is like two inches below his tattoo with praying hands. The whole story is kind of amazing. But to tell everyone as soon as they get in, you can’t call a whole team, but to tell everyone right when they got there, it was really cool. And then about two hours later, Ricky got on and talked to everybody.”

What’s this kind of say about a guy like Ricky Pearsall? You see him walking himself to the ambulance, he’s just gotten shot. You see him trying to say the party goes on, he’s talking to you guys. And then, like you said, he was here the other day. Just to go through all of that. T Trent Williams even saying he has never had a teammate be shot. But to be present, what does it say about your first-round pick?

“We’ve been so impressed with Ricky, with everything he’s done prior to this. For this to happen and just to hear kind of what his girlfriend, what his parents went through, even talking to Ricky, when it happened, he doesn’t know until he actually gets to the hospital and talks to doctors and stuff that he’s going to be alright. So for him to have to go through that shock and the anxiety and the panic of not knowing whether you’re going to live or die. And then just, I saw the video that everyone saw of him just walking through. But at that time, he has no idea he is going be alright. He’s as tough a person I know, just going through a situation like that. We always felt this way watching him on the football field and things like that. But kind of to watch how he handled that situation and watch how he’s been every day since, it shows how special of a guy he is.”

You mentioned the mental part is obviously a tremendous part of that. How important is it for the team to make sure Ricky doesn’t rush through that? Because sometimes with trauma that can happen.

“I think that’s big. Especially, I think, each day the mental part becomes more of a big deal. The adrenaline and just surviving that. Ricky saying stuff, at first, that doesn’t matter like, ‘I still think I could play versus the Jets.’ Those are the things he’s talking about and it’s just like, ‘Dude, what are you talking about? There’s other things.’ But the adrenaline of all that. And then I think each day just to actually relive that and what his family had to go through for a couple hours, just flying out here, not totally knowing what the deal was going to be. I think that’s tough for him or anybody. When that adrenaline goes away, that becomes a much bigger deal. And that’s kind of what I mean by everyone kind of respecting that. Because we’d all be the same, and trying not to make him relive it as much as possible. But it’s really an unbelievable story.”

How have you addressed this with the team to make sure they’re in the right mental state moving forward with what’s ahead?

“The way I just said. It’s more about the respect of Ricky and stuff. I think our team was pretty good once we found out how alright he was. Everyone, just like when people hear someone gets shot, you never think that’s going to just be alright. You assume pretty dark things. We had to go through a couple hours of that. But that ended pretty fast. And then it was more about just getting to see Ricky and making sure he’s alright. The guys have been great with that, as always.”

First time we’ve talked to you since WR Brandon Aiyuk came back and since Trent’s situation. I know it got a little weird with Brandon there and he kind of admitted it was maybe made a little tougher. How tough was that now that you can look back on it, for this team to go through that? And is it go on no problem? Or is there still some, how did that all resolve itself in your mind?

“It resolved itself perfect, just back to normal. You don’t want, things get tough, especially when it can go a number of directions. That’s what I was saying to you guys from the beginning. It could have gone a number of directions. There were times that he possibly could be traded, there were times when he could possibly be here. That’s what was hard about the whole negotiation thing and that is what made it different than usual. We’d never gone through it being so close both ways. And for it to end up working out here that, in the beginning we wanted him here. B.A. wanted to be here and we all wanted to make that work out. And really in the end, that was still the case. And you’ve got to go through that and make sure you’re talking to people as humans and both sides need to understand when you’re talking that way you’re not negotiating, you’re trying to tell each other how you truly feel. And when that is the same way as it was six months before that, those things are easy to get over. You’ve just got to make sure that’s truly how you feel. You could feel that leading into it the last few days. I think that’s what made it easier to close it and get it done those last couple days. And that’s been awesome ever since like nothing ever happened.”

Anytime you start a new season, there’s some things you’re uncertain about. Last year was QB Brock Purdy’s health, you’ve got some new faces, some rookies in the lineup. If you had to pinpoint some things that you’re not certain about, curious about how they’re going to turn out on Monday, what would they be?

“I love going through a whole training camp and knowing exactly what you’ve got right away and just preparing everyone for Week One and then working off that. It is a little different when your left tackle hasn’t been there, your guards, your running back and your starting receiver. Then you’ve got also [LB Dre] Greenlaw, you’ve got Huf. But those guys, Huf has got a possibility this week. Greenlaw we’re going to have to wait on. But the guys on offense, there’s the little question marks with the injuries and the guy’s not here and then all of a sudden they are here, the guys are healthy. But, we’ve still got to work. It’s awesome to have our guys back. I feel so good about our team especially being able to finish these and get those two guys back contractually, get some of the health back that guys have been missing on offense which feels great. But now I’m all about going to work and usually you start that pretty early in training camp. I’ve got a lot of confidence in these guys that they’re conditioned, they’ve done everything. But football’s about playing as a team and having 11 guys move together and that’s what we’re trying to get done in these practices.”

What about the workload for those two guys, Williams and Aiyuk, do you expect Brandon to be able to play the 98-percent of the snaps that he normally can?
“Yeah, I’d be surprised with that, but my expectations are that I’d be surprised with 98-percent. But I’ll see as the week goes. We’ve had one practice with him. He threw with Brock over the weekend. We got one practice with Trent. Today will be their second. We’ll see how they are these three days and then kind of evaluate it.”

Neither of those guys are limited or being held back?

“No, they’re not limited.”

If you had to draw it up, you would have wanted Trent done earlier I assume?

“Yeah, definitely [laughter].”

Were you frustrated with that as it became like DL Nick Bosa last year and just got later?

“It wasn’t at first because I understood how it was going to be. I thought it would end up being faster. But, it got more frustrating the last week because like I said to the other questions, I want guys here. I want to prepare the guys for the season, and you only can do so much on your own. But the bottom line is they’re here and we’ve got a long season ahead of us. We’re pumped now for Week One.”

When you first got the news about Ricky and you were waiting to find out the severity, did part of you want to drop everything and rush to the hospital with John to be there with him?

“Yeah obviously, but I’m in charge of our team too. I don’t do that stuff just so you won’t say something negative about me. I try to make the right decision for the people I’m responsible for. I had a hundred people about to show up to my house an hour and a half from there. I try to do things for the right reason. People who know me never question that. But I would never do something just to avoid people saying bad things.”

Who are your team captains?

“We’ve got eight of them this year. Bosa, [LB Fred] Warner, [FB Kyle Juszczyk] Juice, [TE George] Kittle, McCaffrey, [QB Brock] Purdy, [WR] Deebo [Samuel] and Trent.”

Why would you want eight?

“Well, you’re allowed nine. I try to do it right with the votes. I think we’ve always had six or seven. The seven and eight were like one vote off and the ninth guy was like eight behind them. So it was really obvious who those eight were and the ninth one was too far from it. I’d rather not have so many. But I’m not going to pick when the team votes it that close.”

You said you had to get back to work. Any moment in the last few days where you’re just like, take a breath and like everybody’s back together here? What has it been like just kind of feeling whole again?

“That lasts as I walk out to the field and I see everyone and I’m real excited. Then I go right to the plays and getting everyone to work right and everything else that comes with the NFL season. So, it’s awesome to get everyone here. I couldn’t be more excited than that, but that ends as soon as you enjoy that and that usually lasts as soon as you start thinking about the game plan and what you’re doing in practice. And then it becomes real football.”

Do you have a back-up quarterback?

“Yeah, I told [QB] Brandon Allen. Brandon will be the two. [QB] Josh [Dobbs] will be the three right now.”