Head Coach Kyle Shanahan Press Conference

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan

Press Conference – January 13, 2026

San Francisco 49ers

Opening comments:

“Injuries for today. [LB] Dee Winters, ankle, won’t practice. [S] Ji’Ayir Brown, hamstring, won’t practice. [LB] Luke Gifford, quad, won’t practice. [OL Dominick] Puni, ankle, limited. [DL] Keion White, groin/hamstring, limited. [WR] Ricky Pearsall, knee, limited. [DL] Yetur [Gross-Matos], knee, limited. [T] Trent [Williams] hamstring/Vet Day. Go ahead.”

You said you were hoping this game would be on Sunday, but you thought it would be on Saturday, but if they were cool they might have done it differently. When you heard it was definitely Saturday, what was your response?

“I kind of prepared for that mentally, so it is what it is. Ready to go.”

Did you know before they announced it last night so you could start your daily planning?

“Yeah, we found out we were going Saturday after the game Sunday night after New England won. We didn’t find out the time until last night.”

You had a short week going into Week 18 against this team. Are you doing anything differently this week in terms of rest, in terms of practice, in terms of going full-speed in any of the practices that you couldn’t do then?

“Different than that week?”

Yeah, that week.

“That week we didn’t do one thing full speed because it was our third game in 13 days, so it wasn’t just that short week, it was the two weeks before of short weeks also. So doing it this week, that’s what we’ve got to do today. Changed the times up. We usually bring them in for about seven hours today. They’re only in for about three-and-a-half. We’ll do all walk-through, nothing full speed. We won’t go against each other at all. And then we’ll see how it goes, see how guys feel and decide what we want to do tomorrow.”

QB Mac Jones said before the first Rams game that you were aware of the spread and it annoyed you because it was so lopsided. Are you currently aware that the Niners have the worst Super Bowl odds and does that annoy you too?

“No. I think Mac was just talking, I was just messing with him before the game. I actually have never taken a spread personally.”

That last game against Seattle, you had some success late offensively. Can you build off that or what were your thoughts on that last part of that game against Seattle?

“Nothing happened differently on that one drive. It was just more of, when another team holds the ball for a while, similar to what we did in the first game, how on point you have to be. Whether that’s doing better on first and second down so you avoid as many third downs as we did. But, if you don’t do that, you’ve got to do good on third down. I think we converted like one third down in that game up until that point and then we got a field goal on that drive. But, it’s when a team holds the ball that long, if you’re not doing the same by moving the chains well or playing at a high level on third down, that’s usually how it’s going to be.”

How impactful is it that you’ll have Trent back for this Divisional Round as opposed to the last game of the season when he was out with the hamstring?

“Yes. I mean, obviously never easier when Trent’s not out there. It was a big challenge not having him out there that game. I thought for the most part [OL] Austen [Pleasants] stepped up really well, was not at all the reason that game ended up the way it was. But, it was awesome having Trent back last week and we’re going to really embrace having him back this week.”

Have you run into the players at all? Are they coming in late today?

“Yes. Yeah.”

Do you have a feel for your staff, how you feel? Do you feel like still how the effects of the game or do feel a little tired right now? Guys around you?

“I feel great. I feel showered, fresh. That’s why I’m wearing my Crocs. I’m going to brush my teeth here in a second and get going (laughter). I’m just joking. I did that early. I’m not like that, but no, it is what it is. You’re like that this time of year. We’ve kind of been in a hole for about seven months and once you get to the playoffs, it really doesn’t matter. Everyone’s into it. So, whether they gave us three days, one day, eight days, you always have your preferences for common sense reasons, but whenever you get dealt your hand, you’re ready to roll.”

What time are the players coming in today?

“They came in at 10. Yeah, they came in at 10.”

How does it affect the game planning when you’re playing a team twice within almost back-to-back games?

“You’ll see when you get to the game. You definitely can’t overthink it, but it’s also at the same time, kind of hard to overthink. Not anything has gone down since the last game. Well, they got to watch 70 or so plays of whatever we did versus Philly. But you know, we get in late whatever and there’s one game for us to watch and that’s the one that we all watched last week. So, you only can watch that so much. We know each other very well. We’ve played against each other a ton. The schemes even the last time we played didn’t change much on both sides as opposed to Week 1. So, I think both teams got an idea of exactly what to expect. There are always wrinkles and timing and a situation when you’re going to see that stuff, but it kind of simplifies everything which usually the playoffs as a whole are kind of that way too.”

LB Nick Martin’s cleared through, at least is able to come back now off IR. Are you going to activate him?

“No, he’s he is still on the protocol. Yeah, still in the protocol.”

There’s already online talk between your guys and Seahawks players. Would you say that’s a positive or a negative thing when guys are kind of smack talking during the week online?

“Like them personally?”

One player already commented on LB Fred Warner’s Instagram, the road ends here brother and there was stuff after Week 18 with Seattle Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III and Seattle Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba and DB Deommodore Lenoir.

“Yeah, I think that’s all like wrestling, I guess. Just fake entertainment. If it distracts someone or gets them out of preparation or something or they lose their emotions during the game and they make things personal or something, then of course. But, I think everyone’s just having fun.”

What the call on the final touchdown to RB Christian McCaffrey and were there plays earlier in the game that you felt like set that play up?

“There’s man-to-man routes all over. So, every out-breaking route you have, you want an in-breaking route off of it. So, there’s a combination of, there’s five guys who got out on the route. So, I wouldn’t say that play was exactly set up, but there were definitely routes that our players run throughout the game that are the opposite on that play.”

When did LB Garret Wallow first pop up on your radar as a professional athlete and what was your first impression of him?

“Mine was first day of practice when they told me we got a guy off Denver’s practice squad, and I got meet him in the special teams room before we went out there. It was cool talking to him, asked him how [Denver Broncos LB] Dre [Greenlaw] was doing, how [Denver Broncos Talanoa Hufanga] Huf was doing and how [Denver Broncos DT] D.J. [Jones] was doing. Talked a little bit about his time in Houston and then got to go out and watch him out in practice and right away you could tell, I felt pretty excited of who we got. You never know when you get a guy who’s on someone else’s practice squad how they’re going to be. But right away, you could tell he was an NFL player with a lot of upside and who knew what he was doing.”

We know how loud it is in Seattle. We’re talking to fans who are making the trip on Saturday. How vital is the 49ers fan base to show up?

“Oh, always. I mean, our fan base shows up better than anyone to me in the NFL, better than anyone wherever I’ve ever been, by far. I think it’s always harder in the playoffs. For some reason, I don’t know how it works, but stadiums do a better job of getting into their home fans. But, our fans roll deep, so hopefully it’ll be the same as usual.”

When you had a chance to look at the film, did S Marques Sigle, Wallow and LB Eric Kendricks play as well as it appeared and have they set themselves up for being in more substantial roles down the road?

“Yes, definitely. They’ve kind of done that regardless. Sigle showed us early in the year, and we see him at practice every day. We never knew when his op would come and right when Tig went down, he was ready and he did play as good as it felt live. Kendricks was another story, just coming off the street, being at home. But, all those guys played at such a high level and that’s what we need. We’ve had a lot of guys injured, so guys have to come in and step it up and we’ll see how our team is this week. Some of those guys are still injured so we’re not sure how the week will go, but based off how those guys did last week, it definitely gives you a lot more confidence going into the game.”

Has there been an update as to whether or not Fred could come back?

“We’re opening his window so he can do some stuff like that. But again, we’re not doing much, so he’ll walk-through out there with us today and things like that. But, hoping he can be ready for next week.”

I asked you about Seattle’s defense last week. What makes their D so tough? Is it the front, is it the speed of that second level? Is it the talent of the backside? Is it Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald? What stands out to you?

“All four of them. I think they’re extremely talented at all three levels. I think they have a very good scheme that’s very balanced and they can hit you in any way. I think the personnel, not only is talented for any scheme, but is perfectly talented for their scheme. I think they’ve been playing with, not the exact same group, but close to the same group, for two straight years. When you have a talented group with a very good scheme that’s been playing together for two years, they get pretty good.”

On Fred, he did have a post that he’s ready whenever. Obviously he’s a player, he wants to play, but do you have to hold him back a little yourself? How do you kind of approach a situation like this?

“Approach it by what doctors tell me. I’m like Fred. If he feels good and tells me he is good, I’m probably going to think he’s good and trust him to get out there. But, you can’t always think with your heart and emotionally and so you ask doctors where he is at. All the things that these guys have to pass, just protocols that we have in with just sprinting and jumping and things like that and he’s got to hit all those before we feel it’s safe.”

What’s he been like in the last couple weeks? Has he been kind of coming up to you and trying to advocate to open the window?

“No, that’s not Fred’s style totally. He does that by showing how hard he is working on the side and knows that we’re watching. So, he knows he doesn’t have to do that to me. It’s as soon as he is ready obviously it’ll be zero decision on my part.”

Do you know when TE George Kittle will have surgery and if he will be able to be around at all in the next couple weeks?

“Yeah, I believe he’s supposed to have surgery tomorrow, so I think that would make it hard for this weekend. But, we’ll see after that.”

A lot of coaching turnover, former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stepped down today as well. Does it feel like you’re the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL now? And of all your nine seasons, is this the most teaching and innovating and creating that you’ve had to do?

“No. It’s shocking to think that [Los Angeles Rams head coach] Sean [McVay] and I are probably the second-most tenured or something like that. So, that does feel weird, but I do feel like I’m getting older, so maybe that makes sense. I wouldn’t say this is the most creative and innovative that we’ve been. I think we’re doing what we always do and sometimes you have injuries, you have a good record, so you get more attention for it, but I feel like we’re doing the same thing we always do. Just try our hardest and try to prepare our players.”

On the long pass to WR Jauan Jennings after Kittle got injured, that’s a throw QB Brock Purdy has made time and time again. It looks hard. You’ve got to put it over the linebacker before the safety gets there. Have you had a quarterback that can make that throw better than Brock and what does it take, from a quarterback to be able to do that?

“[Former NFL QB] Matt Ryan was pretty good at layering balls. But, I’m not going to say anyone’s better than Brock at it. That’s probably one of Brock’s best things. He can really drop it in a bucket. The guys can be deep and if there’s a way to get it over that guy and bring it down before you sail it over a receiver, he’s going to do that and he doesn’t miss it very much.”

You mentioned after the game on Sunday that you had for years been going against Eric Kendricks on the silent tape before you even met him. What about the silent tape spoke loudest about his style of play to you?

“Just when you watch a guy all week and then you play against him, and you can just tell whether it’s mental or natural feel. Like, they know how to flow with the quarterback. They know how to just melt into where the ball’s going. Fred Warner’s as good as anyone at it. And that’s why I brought up, I wanted to hire someone like [defensive quality control coach] K.J. Wright who I didn’t know because I felt that way about him. I knew [Houston Texans head coach] DeMeco [Ryans]. I felt that way going against DeMeco. There are some guys who are so elite at that, like [former Carolina Panthers LB] Luke Kuechly was unbelievable at that. [Former Dallas Cowboys LB] Sean Lee was unbelievable at that. Just guys who seem like they have a natural feel for how the quarterback’s rhythm is, how your offense’s rhythm is, where they can predict things pre-snap and they can always find a way to make the quarterback throw it right to them.”

There was the jet sweep to WR Skyy Moore, two plays before the Jauan Jennings touchdown pass. You said offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak talked to you between quarters. Did he suggest it because you had just run the jet sweep or how did that unfold?

“Kub and I, that’s how the whole game goes with me and Klay. Klay and I are together all week. So, every play call we go through. That’s what we’ve been doing all yesterday until the players came in. So, every play that we put in, we talk about how we want to do it, how you want to set it up, if you need to set it up, what coverages we like it against, how bad of a call and how much will it set us back if we call it verses the wrong look? So, that’s something we do on every single play all week. That’s why we’re going to need a break from each other soon.”

You’re up there with your dad in career playoff wins. Is that something you thought about or talked to your dad about this week at all?

“No. My wife actually told me that on the plane, so it actually surprised me. I didn’t believe it, so I thought it was like fake news or something. I went back and tried to count them and it was pretty cool. So, I’ll let him hear about it this weekend.”