Head Coach Kyle Shanahan Press Conference

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan

Press Conference – October 7, 2026

San Francisco 49ers

Opening comments:

“Injuries for today. [DL] James Thompson [Jr.], ankle, won’t practice. [DL Nick] Bosa, calf, won’t practice. [FB Kyle Juszczyk] Juice, knee, won’t practice. [S Marques] Sigle, ankle, won’t practice. [CB Upton] Stout, shoulder, won’t practice. [DL] Mykel Williams, knee, limited. [WR] Mike Evans, ribs, limited. [RB] Kaelon Black, sick, limited. Go ahead.”

I understand it’s Week Five and you guys are supremely motivated for every game, but is it to be expected there might be a little more juice again for this game, just given the way last season ended and other circumstances?

“I mean, yeah, all of the above. I think playing a divisional game always feels a little bit more. Playing a big rival like the Seahawks always does. Them being the Super Bowl winners, how the last game went, so everything.”

What’s so hard about facing the Seahawks defense?

“How sound they are, yet still aggressive, if that makes sense. When they’re aggressive, they’re very rarely irresponsible. It’s real tough to get big plays on them. I think they’ve been number one in the league two years in a row in that, whether it’s run or pass game. They make you work for everything down the field. Then they’ve got a lot of good players out there. When you have to take that many plays to go on a scoring drive, they’ve got a lot of guys that can create some stuff and make some bad stuff happen.”

Did you spend a little extra time this offseason diagnosing their defense and brainstorming ways to attack it? Did you give yourself that little homework assignment?

“I mean, yes. I wouldn’t say any more than usual. We do that always with the guys in the division, but obviously they’re a huge challenge. There’s not a lot of secrets to it, but we definitely get the challenge that’s ahead of us.”

When they added Seattle Seahawks S Nick Emmanwori last year, how has that changed what they’re able to do, just with his versatility?

“Just mainly the personnel matchups. When you’ve got a guy with that size and length who can run and cover, to not know whether he’s a nickelback, a dimeback, truly a linebacker or a defensive end, schematically it causes a lot of issues, just how to target people. Then just the matchup with how he’s built lengthwise and how he can run.”

The middle of your offensive line has been outstanding this year. The middle of their defensive line is really, really good. What’s the challenges dealing with that middle of their defensive line?

“They’re as good as it gets. Just individually, I think [Seattle Seahawks DL] Leonard Williams is second to none just in how good of a player he’s been here over the last few years and still is. Then just how deep they are. There’s not one guy out there who’s not a good player. They roll them, so they play like overachievers because of how hard they go. They play with their hair on fire, but they’re definitely more than that because they’re very talented. It starts with Leonard, but down the line, even outside with [Seattle Seahawks LB DeMarcus] Lawrence, who’s been good for so long. They’ve got a real good group.”

You’ve gone against Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald’s defenses a bunch of times. A lot of people say he disguises his blitzes well. Are there any traits of his defense that stand out to you when you watch?

“Kind of what I already said, just how sound it is in terms of, it’s a bend-but-don’t-break defense in terms of they don’t give up big plays. They play out of a two-shell defense I feel like more than anybody in the league. Even when you get through that front seven, it’s tough to get past those safeties. The safeties back up everybody for big plays, yet they’re still very aggressive and it doesn’t just feel like you can dink and dunk them the whole game. The combination of those two things is rare.”

How much of your playbook can WR Deebo Samuel Sr. execute as a running back? Is it the whole playbook or is it a specific package of plays?

“No, you put the ball in Deebo’s hand and he can execute it. He runs as good as anyone. That’s why I like him at kick returner, possible punt returner. There’s a game you used to play when you were younger that I can’t say the name of it anymore. It’s tackle the guy with the ball with no rules to it. I always say he’d probably be my first pick in the draft if that was the game.”

Is it a challenge to get him prepared for that without having him be in the running back room?

“Not totally. That’s why running backs, when they come in there, some just in terms of running the ball, you’ve got to learn a couple tracks and just the ball handling, which there’s not a lot of them. There’s a lot of runs, but the tracks and stuff are kind of the same. Then he just does his natural ability. So, you don’t have to get him too much work at it, but you’ve got to stay on top of it, just do it here and there, but it’s more about the wear and tear.”

After you had your starring role as a Super Bowl pregame analyst in February, did you stay for the game?

“No, I went up and met my wife at halftime and then left sometime in the third quarter. I didn’t get done until halftime.”

Were you not into it?

“No, not really. Not at all. It was tough.”

What have you seen from Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Fleury’s offensive scheme and what he’s done up there?

“I think he’s taken over where [Las Vegas Raiders head coach] Klint [Kubiak] left off. Just running a similar scheme, doing a really good job, especially with the challenge of their backs getting hurt. Brian’s a guy who knows the run game really well, does a really good scheme with that and doing a hell of a job getting the ball to [Seattle Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith]-Njigba. He’s early in it, four games into it, but you can see he’s going to do a hell of a job.”

In your response there, you said it was tough. Given that they were here, the Super Bowl happened here at your home, you’re two games away from that, how easy is it to forget about that as you come into a new season and you’re going up against the very team that was celebrating in your locker room?

“Very easy. I just feel like with us, we don’t totally get into that outer stuff very much. Every game is so tough no matter who you play and you don’t really attach years before to certain games. I feel like we’re a new team, they’re a new team and we’ll see how this series starts this year. We’ve got them at least twice and you never know if we have to play them a third time.”

QB Brock Purdy has always been good at avoiding pressures, but it seems like he’s taken that to another level this year. What’s the key to that in your eyes? Is it knowing defenders’ tendencies, watching a lot of film or is it more instinct?

“No, I think it’s more instinct. I think Brock has a really good natural instinct on running and making plays. I mean, he did a lot in college and I just think the goal for a quarterback is the balance of when to and when not to. It’s hard to be a good quarterback if anytime something flashes you just run. It can close up pretty quick. There’s certain times you’ve got to hang in there and really let something develop and take a hit as you throw. And there’s times you’ve got to give up on something and make the play. There isn’t really a consistent coaching answer to it. Guys just got to have a feel for it and he’s proven that he’s had a real good feel for it.”

You played receiver and JSN may be the best right now in the league. He’s not the biggest and he’s not the fastest, but what stands out about his game? Why is he the best?

“He’s a first-round talent just in terms of height, weight and speed, and his ball skills and everything. I don’t know him personally, but just watching him, he seems like if Madden ratings were real, I feel like he would have a 100 in Madden awareness. He’s very good at understanding space and when to set people, when to settle down, when to speed it up. He’s just a very quarterback-friendly receiver in that way. He’s going to always get to the right spot and then he has the skill set to really beat man too.”

You guys have always tried to find unique ways to get Deebo the ball. When he came back here this year, I assume at that time you didn’t actually expect him to have this huge role that he has now. How quickly did he show you that he was capable of taking that on and kind of back to that where you are dreaming up even more?

“I mean, we thought we saw it on tape. It’s hard to do it over a 17-game season and some games you’re more healthier than others, but you could see it on tape last year with Washington the way Deebo was moving and stuff. Then we got him here, it was very quickly confirmed. We didn’t think he’d have as many opportunities as a receiver, just with the pecking order and the guys, the directions we had gone while he wasn’t here. But with the injuries and everything, I’m giving him more opportunities and he’s been more than ready for it. He’s really ready for whatever.”