49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan – Media Availability – January 30, 2022
49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan – Media Availability – January 30, 2022
(Opening Statement)
“Alright, guys. Injuries from the game: We had (49ers LB) Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (have) a knee and didn’t return and (49ers LB Dre) Greenlaw – calf – did not return.”
(On if he can put his feelings right now into words and what was it like in the locker room just now)
“Guys were hurting. Obviously, I think everyone can guess how we feel. I’m so proud of those guys. I love this team. Every year is a different team and this is as cool of a team as I’ve ever been a part of. And came up short today, and that’s a part of sports and a part of life, and you got to deal with it. So those guys are hurting now. But they’ll rebound and we’ll be stronger for it.”
(On why he’s so proud of his team)
“Just the character of everybody, just the people. We keep saying it over and over, but we do really like each other in there. And just the personalities, how we fight for each other. The style that we played with the whole year. That’s something that I’m very proud of as a coach. Because you can say anything you want, but if you don’t have the right people, it doesn’t really matter. And those guys do things the right way and I wish I had another game with them.”
(On if there was an issue happening in the last two offensive series)
“Yeah, the one we just didn’t get the snap off. I don’t think (49ers C) Alex (Mack) could hear or there was something. He ended up making a signal, and I – when he made the signal, he didn’t know how little time was on the clock. Another one, we didn’t have a messed up substitution. We subbed right, but the guy ended up going out to the wrong side. And so, we had guys on the wrong side.”
(On if there was a delay)
“Yeah, that’s what ended up happening.”
(On how close they were to going for it on fourth down when they ended up punting instead and what was the though process)
“We were never thinking about going for that. (I) thought the game was exactly the game we wanted up to the second-and-one. The second-and-one, been thinking about that for a long time. And then the third-and-two, that next play. We were just trying to draw them off. We knew we were going to punt. We weren’t going to go for it there at midfield on fourth-and-two. And then the play right after that, just the chance to get the pick. Those three plays in a row that we had our opportunities, and we didn’t come through on those three plays. And after that, it kind of changed into a game we didn’t like as much.”
(On why he didn’t want to go to it on four-and-two)
“We just didn’t want to. We were up three points and didn’t think it was the right decision.”
(On what does he mean when he said his been thinking about the second-and-one)
“Those are just some timing. All plays affect a game. But I just know how it was before those two downs and where we were at and having the lead. And I thought we were moving down the field pretty good to get to second-and-one. And it didn’t feel like they were going to stop us and came up short there, lost a yard. And they blew it up on short yardage on third-and-two. So those are two huge plays that – we almost got a chance to get it right back and we missed that pick, and those guys got going and got in that rhythm.”
(On did 49ers LT Trent Williams have a high-ankle sprain)
“(49ers LT) Trent (Williams) is unbelievable. There’s so many different components of a high-ankle sprain that’s why I can’t just answer your guys’ questions on whether it or isn’t. It’s the kind that gave him the chance to play. It was tough for him. But he worked his ass off all work around the clock rehabbing. I saw him hurting out there a little bit. But from what I saw, he played his (expletive) off today and he was one of the main reasons we were at this point.”
(On the last interception if he minded that QB Jimmy Garopollo threw the football or would he have wanted him to do something else)
“I don’t think he could have done anything else. On the first down he went to the right spot. We got the ball tipped. I think by 91 (DL Greg Gaines). On the second down, they manned everyone up and he tried to throw it away to the flat and, unfortunately, we lost three yards on it. Third-and-13, it just looked like (DL) Aaron (Donald) got in there fast and tried to break away, and tried not to take a sack to make it fourth-and-20 or whatever it would have been. And that happens. You get in a situation there and those guys are going to tee off and I thought we had a great chance of not getting into that situation. But credit to them and that’s why they’re still playing.”
(On if there was an emphasis to tell everyone to not let up when they went ahead by 10 points with TE George Kittle)
“Yeah, we emphasize that every second. Guys didn’t let up, they made a hell of a play on short yardage and got an opportunity to get it back and they didn’t get many opportunities after that.”
(On if it was more about the plays the Rams made or the plays his team were not able to make in the fourth quarter)
“Both. That’s football. When they make a good play, that’s congratulations to them. And when we don’t, I still believe we can. But that is a good team. We gave them a number of opportunities, they gave us a number of opportunities. And I told you guys the ones I thought we missed that I thought were the difference. And you give those guys too many, and eventually they’re going to make them. After that missed pick, that opportunity we had, just hitting (WR) Odell (Beckham Jr.) down the sidelines, they got a cover two hole big, and then getting (WR Cooper) Kupp on those third downs on those choice routes. And that’s what they’ve been doing all year. Slow them down for a while, and I thought we had them on the ropes. But you still got to make the plays, we got to get it done. And we were a little short on that.”
(On what was with the offensive run game and only having 50 yards)
“No. Same as usual how they always play it. We didn’t do as good on third down than I thought we did the last two times earlier this year. They held the ball so well in the first half and they did unbelievable on first downs. So that was similar to the last time we played them. But in order to get that run game going with how they’re playing, I thought we were going to have to do better on third down.”
(On if he got a chance to speak to 49ers S Jaquiski Tartt)
“I haven’t got a chance to talk to him. But I talk to everybody. (49ers S Jaquiski) Tartt has done a lot of good things. I thought he was one of the best players on the field last week (against) Green Bay. I love him being on our team since I’ve been here. And I know he’s disappointed in that drop that he had, but there’s a lot of other plays in the game. And I’m very happy that Tartt’s on our team this year.”
(On if he feels like they won the battle in the trenches in that fourth quarter)
“They stopped us on second-and-one, third-and-two. So they won those two plays.”
(On if this was Garoppolo’s last game at quarterback, what does he have to say about Garoppolo and what he’s done for the 49ers)
“I love (49ers QB) Jimmy (Garoppolo). I’m not going to sit here and make a farewell statement or anything right now, that’s the last stuff on my mind. But Jimmy has battled his (expletive) off. He battled today. And he did some unbelievable things today and I love coaching Jimmy.”
(On what he said to Head Coach Sean McVay and if he’s happy for McVay)
“No, I’m not happy (laughs). But, yeah, I respect the hell out of those guys. (Head Coach) Sean (McVay) is a good friend and (Defensive Coordinator) Raheem (Morris) is a very good friend. And I’m definitely not happy that they beat us. But those guys always pull for a win, that has nothing to do with the Niners.”
(On what was the message to the team)
“Just the same I said to you guys. There’s not much to say. I was extremely proud of the guys. And no one wants to hear anything right now. We know what the situation is and we’re hurting. You put yourself out there and you expect to come through. I think everyone in that locker room expected to win the game all the way to the end. And you got to grieve that a little bit. But we’ll grieve it and I truly always believe you get stronger from all good things and all tough things. And we got some strong guys in that room. And I think this will make us stronger.”
(On what’s next for them, how long does he focus on this game and what is he trying to embrace next)
“I’ll start thinking about that on the plane, setting up our exit meetings, stuff like that. Seeing what the combine is going to be. Plan an offseason schedule. I don’t – I’ve literally done zero of that stuff and didn’t plan on thinking about it until a couple weeks from now. So when I’m done with this, I’ll probably start thinking about it.”
(On the end of the season never feeling good, but does this one feel different because his team was 5-3 and they were counted out so many times)
“Not totally. The NFL seasons are always emotional, always tough. And it’s just a grind for everybody. I’m a lot more proud of us this year. I was proud of us, too, last year. I wasn’t proud of our record, but I was proud of a lot of things that we went through and persevered through. And you can evaluate it all and try to find a way to come back and be better.”