49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan (Post-Game Transcript)
Opening Statement:
“Alright guys. Injuries from the game. [49ers S] Ji’Ayir Brown had a hamstring during a return and [49ers TE George] Kittle had his Achilles.”
On what he is most proud of with the victory:
“So many things. I’m proud of the guys, how hard they battled. I was just kind of saying in there, having two linebackers who weren’t on our team a month ago and those guys playing that whole game and playing at a high level was so impressive. Having two turnovers and then having none and being able to still find a way to win that, I thought was huge. Losing [49ers TE George] Kittle early in the game just is obviously a depressing play for everybody when you see that. Guys stepped it up and still made plays and competed to find a way to win that game. We thought it would be a grimy game; that’s how we say it. It was. Our defense allowed it to be that way. Then that last drive, some of the plays Juice [49ers FB Kyle Juszczyk] made on it I thought were so big. [49ers QB] Brock [Purdy] had a couple of mistakes, obviously with his two picks and stuff, but to come back on that last drive, get us in the end zone, and lead us all the way down there and get to a third guy in his progression on the touchdown. Real proud of the guys.”
On the mood when TE George Kittle got hurt and how everyone responded:
“I mean, it’s always different for me. I’m not by the bench. I’m kind of in front of everyone and once I heard on the headsets, just going over there. I just felt horrible for Kittle. [49ers TE] Jake [Tonges] and [49ers TE] Luke [Farrell] had stepped it up for us all year, so I think guys had a lot of confidence in those guys that they could still do it and things like that, but I think everyone’s just hurting for Kittle.”
On WR DeMarcus Robinson having his biggest game of this season:
“[49ers WR DeMarcus Robinson] was huge. That play at the beginning of the game was big-time to finish it with the touchdown. DR stepped it up for us all year.”
On the touchdown pass from WR Jauan Jennings to RB Christian McCaffrey play call:
“It’s called ‘Sky Bang Reverse Pass.’ Last time we called it, it was called ‘Deebo Bang Reverse Pass.’ We ran it in New Orleans when [former 49ers WR] Emmanuel [Sanders] threw to [former 49ers RB] Raheem [Mostert] in kind of the same area of the field. We were trying to set it up a little bit. We got a jet sweep to [49ers WR] Sky [Moore] earlier in the game and had to be in right hash for the play because [49ers WR] Jauan [Jennings] is not left-handed. We were just hoping to get it around there. [49ers OC] Klay [Kubiak] has suggested it. It’s a hell of a suggestion and Jauan threw a perfect ball, which made me a little scared. I thought he should just throw a mad ball and put it on him. I thought it was a hell of a catch by [49ers RB] Christian [McCaffrey]. I didn’t see it but knowing that he got roughed up and stuff just shows what a G that Jauan was as a high school quarterback.”
On whether he had to address the guys at halftime in the wake of TE George Kittle leaving to get their mind back in it:
“No. I mean, it’s football guys. Guys understand that, so you don’t have to address that. Guys know right away. Seeing [49ers TE] George [Kittle] and spending time in there with him now. But at halftime, we all came in and this is the exact way we wanted this game to be. Couldn’t have hoped that the first half went any other way. I mean, obviously you’d rather have bolt someone out or something, but we were happy with how it was going in the first half and thought we’d have the grit to finish it, and our guys did.”
On how many times they practiced the touchdown pass play from WR Jauan Jennings to RB Christian McCaffrey with it having so many moving parts:
“Not as much as you would think, but we’ve had it in for a few weeks. We always review all [that] stuff on Saturdays, a lot of walkthroughs and stuff, so you never know how it’s going to be with full speed and everything, but just one you’ve got to hold your breath on.”
On how much the wind affected things and whether he needed the wind downwind for that play to be called:
“No, no. I probably would’ve called it anyways. You’d prefer it downwind. Definitely. There’s a lot of things that you prefer. The way we were going was much better for the field goals going that way, but it was still inconsistent. That’s a tough place to play. The wind was swirling. As long as you keep the ball [inaudible] you can throw it alright.”
On how he would characterize the character of this team:
“I mean, [49ers RB] Christian [McCaffrey] probably could word it better than me, but that’s what I mean by how proud I am of the guys all year. I kind of felt it in OTAs. I remember saying it after week one. I thought we had a special group of guys, and I wasn’t sure exactly how good we would be, but I knew we had a chance to be with these guys and they battled throughout the whole year. We’ve overcome a lot of stuff and to be able to come down here and get a win in our first playoff game, all the credit to those guys.”
On when he made that play suggestion:
“Right after the play before.”
On the wind and quarterbacks having trouble throwing in the wind:
“I mean, lots of things in our minds, but you’re just more open that it’ll work and it’ll be open and you’re more open that if it doesn’t work to please remind JJ [49ers WR Jauan Jennings] to throw it away because JJ thinks he can make every play known to man, but that’s what you’re hoping. You’re just hoping it works. And if he called the wrong look, kind of like we did last week when we called one flea flicker to [49ers TE] George [Kittle] and it wasn’t there and [49ers QB] Brock [Purdy] just threw it to the flat to [49ers RB] Christian [McCaffrey]. I’m just hoping something bad doesn’t happen if it’s not the right look, but we got the right look and the guys pulled off a hell of a play.”
On whether the fear is that TE George Kittle tore his Achilles and the extent of S Ji’Ayir Brown’s injury:
“I mean, [49ers S] Ji’Ayir [Brown] was hamstring, so I mean the fact he wasn’t able to come back, I’m sure he got it pretty good. I’m sure he’d be a long shot for next week, but we’ll find out more on that tomorrow. And [49ers TE] George [Kittle], the trainers knew before the cart came out, so they got word to me on the headset.”
On if S Marques Sigle came in for S Ji’Ayir Brown because S Jason Pinnock is doing the big nickel that role:
“Yes.”
On how he felt S Marques Sigle did:
“It looked like he did really well. I thought he made a couple of plays that I saw. I’m going to see all of it, check it out on the plane. But [49ers S Marques] Sigle really helped us early this year. We switched some stuff up and hadn’t got in there for a while. He’s done a hell of a job on special teams, and he’s been waiting and he’s been practicing doing everything, hasn’t gotten discouraged. And his moment came in the playoff game, and he was ready for it.”
On what he saw from the linebackers and how they pulled this off:
“I mean, really how well they were prepared. Just anytime you put a mike linebacker in there and he’s got to dictate the whole defense by getting the D line set up, the coverages and everything. I thought [49ers LB] Eric [Kendricks] was just as expected. I’ve gone against Eric so much in my life and I remember saying at the beginning of the week on Wednesday and to the whole team, I was like, ‘Guys, I don’t really know Eric that well, but I’ve been going against him on the silent team forever and that’s why I feel like I do know him and from going against him, I promise you guys, this guy’s going to be ready.’ That was the vibe we’ve always had playing against him our whole career and that’s how he handled this whole week. And he looks kind of like what I’ve seen going against him my whole career. He looked like that tonight. Just how he drops in the hooks. I think he’s always a problem for quarterbacks. It looked like he knocked that ball down at the end. And then [49ers LB] Garret [Wallow], too. Garret was huge. I haven’t gone against Garret very much, but since he got here and played on teams to start, he hopped in at linebacker last week. I don’t think they just stepped up and got through the game. I think they played at a high level.”
On whether he felt the emotion in this win and if it hit him this the same place where all that happened a few years ago with QB Brock Purdy’s elbow being shattered:
“It did the next time we came here. That was a tough game on us because we felt we were ready and it was just a weird game because we lost all our quarterbacks in the first half. But that’s when the last time we came here in 2023 when they were 10-1 and we were 8-3, that was an emotional game about that. This, no.”
On how important QB Brock Purdy’s mobility was today and escaping the rush:
“Important. It’s always important. I mean, when your rush isn’t good or the play isn’t good, he [49ers QB Brock Purdy] always gives you some opportunities by extending stuff and being able to keep us out there. And he didn’t get a lot of opportunities with his legs today, but when he did, he was effective.”
On the impact of DC Robert Saleh:
“He was unbelievable today. Just the plan that he put together, keeping it somewhat simple but still challenging – having new guys in there, you have to somewhat keep it simple. But anytime you have a quarterback with a running element, all the RPOs they do, the wideouts that they have on the outside, the talent of their running back, their tight end, it was a huge challenge, and they did a hell of a job all day with it.”
On if he envisions this defensive performance making retaining DC Robert Saleh difficult in the offseason:
“I don’t know. I don’t get why this game wouldn’t matter. [49ers DC Robert] Saleh is that good anyway. So regardless of what happened today or what happens next week, it’s a matter of time for Saleh to say, ‘I’ll coach again.’”
On playing in Seattle next weekend:
“I’m glad we get another shot. They played us real well. Definitely beat us, but I know we can play better than that. I’m glad we have another shot.”
On how strongly he’d prefer playing on Sunday as opposed to Saturday next weekend:
“Very strongly. I’m expecting it to be Saturday, but hopefully if the NFL is cool to understanding, they’ll make it Sunday.”
On if LB Luke Gifford, WR Ricky Pearsall, and LB Dee Winters were close to working out pregame:
“[49ers WR] Ricky [Pearsall] wasn’t close enough to work out. Those guys [49ers LBs Luke Gifford and Dee Winters] were, but we knew it was going to be 50-50 and they didn’t seem like they were ready on Saturday. So again, it’s awesome when you get another day to do it, which gave them a chance, but they were too far away.”
On the possibility of the practice window for LB Fred Warner being opened:
“Not very high.”
On when he knew LT Trent Williams would play:
“I mean, he told me Sunday night there was no way he wouldn’t be playing this week. I knew how his mindset was. I knew how he attacked everything, but it was [49ers LT] Trent’s [Williams] first hamstring injury and it’s very rare that you could play on a hamstring like that in this amount of time. So even though I knew he was adamant that he was going to do it, I wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to figure out how to do it. And obviously he did. So, we’re a different team with Trent out there.”
On how impressive QB Brock Purdy was after throwing two interceptions:
“So impressed. There were two mistakes he’d love to take back, but to play like he did on the last drive, especially after two throws like that, he was unbelievable. I mean, he kept letting it rip. The guy was not scared to fail at all, which you can’t be to make some of those plays. And they weren’t easy plays either. It wasn’t like it was always to number one or anything like that. He was going through some progressions with a really good pass rush, and I thought the touchdown to [49ers RB] Christian [McCaffrey] at the end was probably the most impressive.”
On what this win shows:
“I mean, I think it shows how they’ve been all year. They’ve been resilient all year, we’ve overcome a lot. They believe in each other a ton. And we knew we couldn’t come in here and just win by certain guys making plays. We knew we had to come here and win as a complete team, and I really believe we played as a complete team today and that’s why we got it done.”