Head Coach Kyle Shanahan Press Conference

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan

Press Conference – August 18, 2026

San Francisco 49ers

How did you think RB Kaelon Black looked today at his first practice back?

“I thought he looked good from what I saw. It’s his first practice back. It’s always tough going against another team on your first day back, but he looked healthy. Had some juice today, and hopefully he looks the same on tape.”

Can he play in Thursday’s game?

“Most likely, yeah. I haven’t told the guys yet. We’ll tell them here this afternoon. But, yeah, he played today, so I expect him to go.”

Do you have an early diagnosis of WR Mike Evans?

“No. They just said he had some tightness, so we were just being smart taking him out. I don’t think it’s anything worse, so we’ll see when we get in there, but nothing that I’m worried about right now.”

WR De’Zhaun Stribling had a couple good catches in the red zone there from QB Mac Jones and QB Brock Purdy. How did he respond today in his action here?

“Those were two good plays. I think he had a couple rough ones too, so I’ll hold my opinion until I really see the tape, but he’s competing every day and getting better.”

When you’re coaching him up on film, what’s his reaction as you’re pointing out whatever flaws he has?

“I love how he handles himself. He stays humble. He takes coaching really well. Never seems to take anything personally. He’s been a real fun guy to coach so far.”

When you say he had a couple rough ones, do you mean mental errors?

“Oh, no. I just mean not everything was perfect, like those two touchdowns, but that’s my answer for everybody.”

There was a lot of skirmishes at the Titans practice. None today. Did you guys say anything different, or what do you attribute that to?

“No, their head coach had more discipline than Tennessee’s. No, I’m just joking. A few things started early in the Tennessee practice, which when that happens, then everything just gets escalated throughout the rest of the day. I wasn’t on both sides, but nothing happened early, and usually when nothing happens early, nothing happens late.”

You guys have had some concussions among the linemen this year. Is that a surprise just given that they’re wearing the Guardian Caps?

“Yeah, it is. I think it just shows you those only do so much. My favorite thing about those is quarterbacks don’t break their hands as much on the top of them, but regardless of what you’re wearing, if you get hit the right way, it’s not enough. I know it does help, but yeah, having those, two in one practice, a few days ago was unusual, and hopefully we’ll have better luck with that going forward.”

Los Angeles Chargers head coach John Harbaugh said his starters are going to go at least one series out there. Do you expect your starters to be out there?

“Not all of them, but I expect a number of starters to play, unlike last week. I haven’t told them yet, but they’ll find out soon, but yeah, you guys will see a number out there.”

Including Brock?

“I haven’t told him yet, but there’s a good chance.”

Yesterday Pro Football Talk said they’re speculating that RB Christian McCaffrey is out of practice due to contract issues. What’s your comment on that?

“I mean, people make a lot of assumptions, and that would be one that they’re wrong on.”

Is there a timeline for him to come back? When do you think he might be able to practice again?

“I think if it wasn’t Christian and we were in a game week, I think he would play today.”

Is it related to the calf or Achilles?

“No, just some tightness. He’ll get sensitive if I say where.”

How about DL Nick Bosa? Is he making progress?

“Yeah, he’s making a lot of progress. He has a lot less irritation, soreness and tendinitis, whatever you want to call it, than he had last week. So, we think he’s going in the right direction, and we see him similar to Christian.”

TE George Kittle said that he expects to be practicing ‘sooner than later,’ is what he told us. Where is he right now, and how soon can we expect to see him?

“I kind of listen to George the same way you guys do. George isn’t a big put-a-date on it, and I’m not going to be that dude either, but I think you guys can tell how he’s talking, how he looks. I agree, I think it’s sooner than later.”

He told us to ask you.

“Did he? All right. I’ll ask the trainer.”

What about DL Mykel Williams? Any further idea when he’ll be back?

“He’s further away than those other guys you guys just asked about, but we do think he’s close. I do think Week One would be a long shot, but we haven’t ruled it out yet. But, he’s progressing very well.”

WR Christian Kirk has been out since that first practice. How is he doing?

“That’s been unfortunate for him because he had the same thing in OTAs, so he missed that. He hasn’t been ready to go, and he did it the first practice before we even got to team period, so I know he’s been extremely frustrated with it. We love the guy so far, but hopefully he can have some better luck going forward here so he can get some reps out here.”

George said that TE Luke Farrell’s having a much better camp than last year, and he said that it’s hard to sometimes learn this offense in one year. What are you seeing from Farrell in year two?

“I would totally agree. I think he’s definitely a lot more confident just knowing what he’s doing. I think when you go through a whole year, you know how to prepare for it, to me, a different way. I think he came in in OTAs prepared at a different level, and it’s carried right over to training camp, and I think he’s having a hell of a camp.”

How generally do you feel about how the offense performed today?

“Yeah, I liked it a little more at first, didn’t like it as much later. I thought we struggled a little bit in the move-the-ball periods, didn’t score in two-minute, so there were some ups and downs, but I didn’t really like how we finished the day.”

You did foreshadow last week that you wanted to get OL Carver Willis involved in the competition. How is that thing shaking out right now in your regard?

“It’s still a competition. No one’s really completely made it easy on us yet. I still think we’ve got a lot more time to go, not a ton, but enough for guys to step up and do it. I think Carver, missing that time, has made him a little bit behind the 8-ball on it, but it’s good that he’s gotten a full week in and hopefully has no setbacks, so we can make that opinion here in about two weeks.”

Before practice, Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh kind of said a lot of nice, complimentary things about you and your program. Just from looking at his program from across the field, what stands out to you about Harbaugh?

“Just how hard they work. I like how their whole team handled themselves. They weren’t out here trying to cause anything. They were just out here to get to work, which usually starts with the head coach. Him being in San Francisco, there’s a lot of guys in our building who speak really highly of him, and I’ve got a lot of guys who used to work for me who now work for him who speak the same. Hung around him a number of times, but I feel like I know him even better than that.”

How much of an influence will Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel be on this offense?

“I’m sure it’s going to be a ton. Mike does a great job. What he does do is totally different than what they’ve always done in the past. I think it’ll fit their personnel very well, and I think it’ll be a real good thing for their quarterback.”