The San Francisco 49ers are preparing to play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Head coach Kyle Shanahan, special teams coordinator Richard Hightower, and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo spoke with reporters before today's practice. Here is everything they had to say.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
Head Coach Kyle Shanahan
Opening Comments:
"Injuries today. [LB] Azeez [Al-Shaair] won't practice, elbow. [LB] Fred [Warner] won't practice, ankle. [RB] Elijah [Mitchell], no practice, concussion/knee. [DL] Maurice Hurst, calf. [TE George] Kittle, knee soreness, won't practice. [DL] D.J. Jones, same thing. [LB Dre] Greenlaw, groin. [OL] Alex Mack and [DL Nick] Bosa and [CB] Dontae [Johnson] won't practice, it's not injury related. Throw [T] Trent Williams in that also. [S Jaquiski] Tartt has a glute, he'll be limited. [CB] Ambry Thomas, concussion, he's limited. Go ahead."
Have you made a decision on DL Dee Ford?
"Yeah. He's not going to be back this year. For the future is what you're saying?"
Well, I was asking about the window this year.
"Yeah, no, he had to be good by today and he's not, so we're shutting him down."
Where do you go from here with him? Is it rehab? Will he stay here?
"No, he is not going to stay here because he is done for the year. He'll go back to, I think Kansas City is where he does his other rehab. Then we'll address it after the season."
Does he need any additional surgery or anything like that or is it just rehab at this point?
"No, I think just rest."
Is Dontae back with the team?
"No, he is not back yet. Hopefully we'll have him back later in the week though."
Elijah is obviously still in the protocol?
"Yes."
The announcement was just made that the 49ers will now have a market in Mexico, officially through the international program. What are your thoughts on San Francisco possibly playing in Mexico or essentially having maybe a training camp or a camp with players out there?
"Oh, I'd be all for it. I love Mexico. I love going there. And it does seem like they've got a bunch of die-hard Niner fans too, so we get a lot of love there when we go there and I always enjoy it."
The game isn't going to be in Cabo San Lucas though.
"(Laughing), We can make that happen I'm sure."
Mexico City, not Cabo just to clarify.
"I like Mexican people, I haven't been to Mexico City very much, but I'd always rather play here, but that's definitely a lot closer and I'm more familiar with that than London. So I'm more down with Mexico City."
Kittle seemed like he was pretty banged up after that game with a lot of workload, obviously, so what's the concern level? You said it was a knee rather than a calf?
"Yeah. I'm just told its soreness. Soreness isn't as much of an injury. It's just that the game is a violent game. It's tough to get over it, get over some of the soreness and especially with us having a Thursday night game coming up. Just giving him a little bit more rest."
This is probably a question for Dee, but I know you mentioned his back stuff is probably a lifelong thing. I mean maybe going to rehab suggests he still wants to play, but is retirement a possibility for him?
"I mean, that's what it sounds like, but you'd have to talk to him about that. It's a back thing that I don't know if there's much rehab for it. You have to keep resting it and we've done that a bunch, so it's been tough on him, tough on us and it's just an unfortunate injury."
There was a report, I think it was that Dee Ford was talking to people saying that he thought that you guys were going to cut him because he can't play this year. Is that a possibility of an outright release or anything like that?
"This year? No, we're not doing that now. I mean, it's always a possibility, but no, that's not something we've discussed yet or decided on."
How similar is what Atlanta does with Falcons WR Cordarrelle Patterson with what you do with WR Deebo Samuel?
"He's listed as receiver and they play him at running back a lot, so that is very similar in that way. Yeah, they're both those two type of players."
They are pretty unique in that they can both function as running backs, where a lot of receivers can't. Do you see teams looking for guys like that more or are they just unique that you can use them that way?
"I think guys look for them. I do think they are unique, but he was the first one that I ever saw. He was really good at Tennessee doing it. They used to put him in the I a lot coming out of college. That year I remember the top two receivers were him and [Jacksonville Jaguars WR] Tavon Austin and they were both viewed as that way. They were both viewed as receivers who could play running back and he was the best I had seen."
With four weeks to go you are in control of your own destiny. How big was last week's win considering how jumbled up the six and seven seeds are in the NFC?
"They're huge, they're all big. The Thursday night game will be big too. So, each one's big and it'll probably come down to the last game for a number of teams."
Last week, Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll announced that their entire team was getting boosters. Have you guys done the same thing or is there a plan to get like team-wide booster shots for everybody?
"No, that's something they have to decide, just like the vaccine. So that's something you can't plan as a team. You can hope it for the team. We have all but one vaccinated. So I think we did pretty good there and we'll see how the guys feel about the booster. I know we all have to do it, everyone in tier one and tier two. We have to do that, I think by next week."
Have you gotten yours?
"That's a personal question (laughing). No, I haven't gotten mine yet, but I plan on getting it as soon as someone brings a needle to me."
After you guys moved up to three, there was a storyline, probably a joking storyline that you were secretly moving up there to get Atlanta Falcons TE Kyle Pitts in the draft. Was there ever any kind of reason to believe that or were you so focused on quarterbacks that you didn't even look at Pitts? Or was there any sort of interest there?
"I can understand why people said that because he is that type of player, but no we moved up knowing we were doing it for a quarterback and that's what we focused on. But we definitely studied him too and I can see why people said that."
When you were at 12, did you start to look at his tape?
"You look at guys trying to order the stuff, but we had a plan that we were going to get a quarterback, whether it was at 12 or moving up to do. So we knew if we were at 12 and all the ones we wanted went, he would've been a hell of an option, but I don't think he was falling until then."
You guys are winning and it's sort of not a big deal, but Deebo's production as a wide receiver has fallen pretty steeply since he began playing a lot of running back. Is that an issue or a reason for concern?
"No, I don't think so. It's just kind of how it is sometimes. Kittle had some real good stats these last two games, the games before that I don't think he did, but it didn't mean he played much different. It's just how it works out. And Deebo didn't play as much on third down. Him not practicing all week, we limited him a bunch with this play count. And I think he ended up getting like 40, 45, but didn't have as many opportunities. But the one we did give him an opportunity he did pretty good on."
Are you concerned at all about K Robbie Gould?
"No, I'm not concerned with Robbie. Robbie's done this for a while. I think about how many game-winning kicks or ties he's made in a row. I know that was a tough miss, but Robbie's a pro, he'll bounce back from it and I expect him to be Robbie."
Happy belated birthday, how did you celebrate and did the boys call you? Did they throw a celebration this morning?
"No, birthdays are not very fun in the season. No, it was a normal Tuesday. I kind of forgot it was my birthday for a while, but the cooks and everyone surprised me at lunch for a very awkward birthday song in the taco line, but that was about it. I'll celebrate with my family on Friday. That's our weekend."
Having the close personal experience you have with Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan, where is he at right now with his game and what's your biggest concern as far as how to defend him and that offense?
"I just know what Matt is capable of. You can still see how well he is playing on third down. I think that's the area that they're the best in and it starts with him. It doesn't matter how good you block people, if someone's open, he's going to hit them. So you have to make sure you cover people if you want to get to them and Matt's a hell of a quarterback. I still think he's playing at a high level. When things are going well around Matt, you'll see him play at a very high level."
Do you know Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith at all?
"I know him from phone conversations and we've got a bunch of mutual friends, working in Washington where his dad was part owner there. And having friends who worked with him at Tennessee and I've talked to him a number of times on the phone, but a lot of respect for him, does some things similar and I like how he does his stuff."
What about how his offense, what do you kind of appreciate as far as what his thumbprint is on his offense?
"You can tell he believes in the run game, the style that they do it with. Him just coming from Tennessee, I think there's some similarities. He replaced [Green Bay Packers head coach Matt] LaFleur, when LaFleur left to Green Bay. Just being there with the O-Line coach that we had in Atlanta too and watching the style of runs they do, some of the play actions they do and things like that."
What do you make of the work that defensive line coach Kris Kocurek has done with DL Arden Key and just in general, the defensive line, which really seems to have hit its stride here the past couple weeks?
"Yeah, I feel we've got one of the best, if not the best in Kris. I think he does a hell of a job every year. You guys see how intense he is out there and that's not just when you guys are out there, that's every second of the day, seven days a week. So the D-Line have to deal with that a lot. But he coaches them so hard, but they all do what he says and they all respect him. He's got so much love for those guys. He cares about them so much. And they've got a really good group and he's always pushing them to get better."
When you have two games in a 10-day period, does it change the way you do things at all the first week? Or do you just get to the first game and then worry about the second game?
"No, I think it does. Today we're walking through everything, which we would be doing anyways since it's that time of year. But if it was earlier in the year, I probably would've done it just knowing that we have to make sure we go lighter on these guys, having two games in this amount of time. I gave the players a victory Monday, which was our first one, on Monday. And that was coming from the east coast, but it was also knowing how much we're going to be around each other for 10 days straight, so that you can have the mental break a little bit and also to have them away from us so some coaches can do some of their busy work for Tennessee since next Monday will be a little hectic. So you do some of that stuff, but besides that you keep the same schedules."
Special Teams Coordinator Richard Hightower
Feeling a little bit better this Wednesday, as opposed to last Wednesday?
"Anytime we win, I think everybody's feeling good. So anytime we win everybody's feeling good. But there's never a perfect game. So you look at the tape, you try to get all those things cleaned up. We've still got a lot of things that we want to get better at. But the guys are definitely feeling better this week than the week before. But we've got a huge challenge in Atlanta and we're excited this week, just like we were last week and we're going to be up for the challenge. We can't wait to get to practice."
What is it about P Mitch Wishnowsky punts that are difficult to catch?
"The one thing about him is one of the reasons why we really liked him coming out. He's uber talented, he's super talented. And you guys have seen the progression in his career going into the third year. But he can hang the ball, he's got so many different tricks in his bags, so many different clubs in his bag that his balls just fall different ways, depending on which balls he wants to kick and when he wants to use those. And we obviously talk about that stuff collectively, and he's done a nice job with that over the years he's been here. I mean, he has 16 balls that have either been muffed or bobbled since he's been here. And he does an excellent job at that. So in his short career, has been here only two and a half years, you know? But 16 balls either muffed or bobbled and five of those we were lucky enough to recover, three of those this year. [WR Trent] Sherfield getting two of them, obviously one against Jacksonville and the one last week and then [WR] River Cracraft getting one so a total of three this year. And guys, they really like it. I mean, they really like it. They're hard. We've had guys here try to catch them. [wide receivers coach] Wes [Welker], who's done it a ton, Wes says it's one of the hardest balls to catch. Some of our other guys on the staff have tried to catch them. So it's a fun thing we do. And he does a really nice job with that and hopefully that'll carry forward and help us out some. Turnovers are the biggest thing in wins and losses. And he's helped us get five of them since he's been here. So it's been great."
You said you guys talk about when to use certain tricks that are in the bag. I know you don't wanna give away the secrets, but like in a general sense, what are conditions that you're looking forward to maybe go with something like that or what are the things that play into that?
"Yeah, wind is always a factor when you talk about those things, but there are also tendencies of the returner as well. Those things you talk about as well depending on, not saying that was the case with that kid last week. He's a good player. I'm not saying anything against that guy. But, those are the things you study in general. Every week, what balls does he struggle to catch? What balls does he not like? Which direction does he not like going? Does he struggle with a right to left wind? Does he struggle with a left to right wind? Does he struggle with a banana ball? Does he struggle with, you know, just different types of kicks and see if you can find a way to help your football team. And I'm glad the punt team was able to do that last week and help the football team. Two muffs led to 10 points and that was a good deal, but again, it's a new week and that week is over. We've got a lot of stuff we've got to clean up, which we've been doing. And we are looking forward to Atlanta. I mean, really are looking forward to this next game. It is like I told you guys last week, whether it's a good play or a bad play, it's on the next in this league and we've got a huge challenge this week and we can't wait to play these guys."
It seems like onside kick recoveries across the league have been up. How much of the new rules do you think that they put in, how has that helped maybe make that play a little more?
"Yeah, I think the rules have helped tremendously with that stuff. I think those guys do a great job at looking at rules every year. We're always involved in that somewhat as well, but I think the league is trending in the right direction with that stuff, with the rules and the onside kicks and the safety on kickoff. And it's just, it's trending in the right direction. It's fun to be a part of."
The two punts, the two muffs on Sunday, were they different punts? Was the first one a banana and the second one different?
"Yeah, I can't, I would love to answer that question for you. I can't tell you which ones were which. But they were two different type of punts."
What is a banana ball?
"Check it out. You do a lot of reporting. You know what a banana ball is."
One may have been a knuckle. Is that accurate?
"One of them did knuckle. Yes. One of them did knuckle."
When you were watching him at Utah, did you see the returners struggling with his punts then as well?
"Sure. And also, I mean, when we worked him out live, obviously you get a chance to go and work a kid out, did a nice job at the Combine with that stuff. And Mitch, when we went to work him out, [former special teams assistant Stan] Kwan and I did at Utah, when we went to work him out, we just remember being in awe of all the different things that the kid could do. I mean, not only can he kick it with a great hang to distance ratio, I mean, he could kick it as high and as far as he wants to kick it, he can have it drop a different way. He can even kick a ball left footed. I mean, he can kick a ball left footed too, which was ridiculous. And it is just as good. It's not better than his right foot, but he can kick a ball left footed. And it's amazing to see. He's talented as hell now I'm telling y'all."
Does it help your return guys to be able to have to field his punts once in a while?
"Yeah, for sure. I mean, when we first got here everyone was in awe about the hangtime and just how long it hung up there. I remember [former 49ers WR] Trent Taylor who was here, you guys know Trent, love Trent to death. I remember Trent talking about out how hard it was and how high it hung up there. So Mitch has done that stuff throughout his career here. And we hope it carries forward. But he's, I mean, he's still got a long way to go. It's a long season. But he's doing well. I mean, he fluctuates between top-five and top-10 in net which is a team stat, which we like, because first you have to protect and then we have to punt and then we have to cover. So that's one of the most important stats to us is net punt because it includes everybody, not just gross, just kicking the heck out of the ball and then it runs 20, 30 yards back down your throat. And now the defense goes out there. You don't really want that either. So to me, he and [Los Angeles Rams P Johnny] Hekker right now are the two guys that are the best in the league right now at eliminating return yardage and having good nets and flipping the field."
If something were to happen to Mitch during a game, as far as his right leg, is the backup punter Mitch's left leg?
"It could be an option. That could definitely be an option. Yeah, he's talented guys and we've just got to keep coaching him and he's got to keep working his tail off. And he was better on kickoffs this week as well. He had three touchbacks in that tough weather and the kickoff coverage, they improved. Mitch is a weapon for us, both on kickoffs and punts and changing field position. And he's really a, people don't know it because people don't study it a ton, but that's what I do all day. I look at, you know, thousand special teams plays over and over. So when you've got a guy that can help flip the field position in two ways like that it's special. And there's not a lot of punters in the league that can do that. So he's done a great job at it. And again, I mean they limited those guys to 13 yards a return and that's a good unit we played against. And we're going against another good unit this week in [Atlanta Falcons CB] Avery Williams, it's a good returner. So we've got a huge challenge and our focus is really more on Atlanta more than anything else."
Should Mitch have been the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week? I mean, do you feel he's deserving?
"I'm always going to love my guys to be the special teams player the week. They've already announced that obviously. And he didn't. Yeah, he didn't win it, but he's won one, he's won NFC Special Teams Player of the Month. He's won NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. I want him to win NFC Special Teams Player of the Week this week. I'm done with last week. I want him to win this week, but yeah, in the punt coverage they love him. So I mean, he's special and I'm glad we got him."
Is there any concern with K Robbie Gould?
"No. Robbie's done this for a ton of years. Robbie will get back to work like he always does. And I know he'll be excited to go out there and kick again. But, he's mentally tough. He's no concern there. I mean, there's a reason why he's kicked 17 years in this league. There's a reason why he is on the all-time, top of the all-time list. There's reasons for that. And he'll get back to work and there's no concern for me at all. And I don't think there's any concern there for anyone here."
His role on offense is so substantial. I don't know how much he's returning kicks now, but is Atlanta Falcons WR Cordarrelle Patterson still pretty much the gold standard in terms of that role?
"Yeah, I mean, to me in my era, since I've been watching this, I mean, [former NFL WR] Dante Hall was phenomenal to start. And then when I first started kind of looking at it and then you just study the game. I mean, there are guys, even before him that were phenomenal. But tape doesn't really go back that far, I just know of them from history. And then [former NFL WR] Devin Hester to me was the best to do it. And then Cordarrelle is right there behind them. I mean, Cordarrelle is phenomenal. Obviously he's a kick returner, doesn't do punts like Devin did punt and kick return. And he hasn't been back there as much, but we prepare for him just like anybody that's returned a kick on a roster. We prepare for everyone like we're going to play him. So if they put him back there, we're preparing for him just like we're preparing for Avery Williams."
I should know this, but is free agent P Britton Colquitt a left footed punter?
"Yeah, but he is no longer there. So [Atlanta Falcons P Thomas] Morstead. And they've had a couple different punters this year. So I mean, it's not easy to keep up with. I mean, they've had three or four different one's in there this year. So yeah, no worries. It's interesting. Morstead played against Atlanta and now he's punting for Atlanta this year. And he's a good player. You guys know Morstead. He's been good throughout his career. So we've got a tough challenge. We've got to be ready to go. So it'll be fun this week."
QB Jimmy Garoppolo
What kind of distinguishes the Falcons defense when you start to dive into their film?
"Very good tackling team. I think it starts there. The front is pretty talented, a couple guys who can pass rush pretty well and also play the run. But yeah, they're solid across the board. I don't know, they're in a good spot right now it seems like."
What do you mean by that?
"Their guys are playing well on the perimeter, playing well up front. Linebackers, [Atlanta Falcons LB] Deion Jones can run as well as anybody. So, it's a good group."
Early in the season, something like 80-percent of the completions were going to WR Deebo Samuel. This last game especially, you guys spread the ball around, even on that last drive I think four different receivers. How much more sustainable is offensive success and how important is to spread the ball around the way that you have?
"Tremendous. I can remember early in the season, Deebo getting all that attention and I think it opens other guys up. And then obviously, the injury, things happened with that, but I think whenever you can spread the ball like that to different positions and different guys at those positions, it makes it tough on defenses, especially in situational football. End of the, game third down, who's going to get the ball, they have to defend everything."
When you have a game like Sunday where TE George Kittle got so many balls, did you go into the game knowing, 'okay, this is going to be a Kittle game?' Do you have an idea of it or is it something that sort of just develops?
"You have an idea of it. I think more so probably around halftime, you really have a good feel for what they're doing and how we're going to attack it in the second half. But yeah, I couldn't have told you that on Wednesday, George is going to have 13 catches or whatever, but you have an idea of it going into it."
WR Jauan Jennings has had key moments that he made clutch catches. What has he done to earn your trust?
"J.J., it starts with his attitude, very positive guy. Even if he messes something up in practice, he'll come up to me and he knows what he did wrong and he knows how to fix it. When a receiver can do that with a quarterback, you gain trust with each other, he gains it with me and vice versa. And he's just done that day in day out. He really didn't have a ton of opportunities early on, and now he's getting his chance. When the ball's thrown his way, the dude makes plays."
After the Arizona game, you said that it felt like your backs were up against the wall and it helped you kind of lock in. How has that kind of carried forward into maybe as you go down the stretch here and chase the playoffs?
"It really put us into a, I don't want to call it playoff mindset back then, but for a little while now, we've been in a playoff mindset. Just the way we prepare. You could feel it in the locker room, you could feel it on the practice field. It's just that little bit of extra pressure, motivation, whatever you want to call it. It just helps guys lock in a little better."
A lot of teams around the league are dealing with COVID outbreaks and it seems like the league's ramping up stuff again. Has that been addressed with you guys and how have you guys avoided a lot of this this season?
"A little bit of luck. It's really about putting the team first when you're away from the facility, all those things that you do, they can come back to bite you in the butt on the back end. But I think guys realize what type of opportunity we have this year. I think coming down the stretch especially, things are starting to get pretty serious now. And we got a good group of guys and when we're all on the same page like this, it makes for a good thing."
A lot of examples this year, particularly recently in big moments and kind of big drives, you've done pretty well. It hasn't always worked out, like Seattle. Just as a quarterback emotionally, do you feel like there are nerves, do you have a sense of calmness or what are your emotions like when you know, 'okay, we have to convert this?'
"There's definitely a lot of emotion, especially this past one. Just the way that they came back and everything, scored at the end there. I always catch myself just trying to calm down and let things happen as they may. You feel all of the energy around you, everyone going nuts and everything, but as the quarterback, you kind of just have to be in the middle of everything, kind of be the eye of the storm and just be right there. There's really no secret to it. You just have to simplify it and go play football really."
Is that something you learn through experience? Your first couple times, are you kind of internally freaking out?
"I'd say back in like high school, college, something like that. As a quarterback, you progress since you start playing and the more you get put in those situations, you just get more and more used to them. I'm trying to think of like a little secret or something, but there's really no secret to it. You've just got to go play."
As a group, the offense really struggled in the second half, for most of the second half. And then as a group, you just flip the switch in overtime. Is it just that you've been in this position before?
"Yeah, kind of what I was saying. Just the experience, even two years ago, we were in a lot of those same situations when it comes down to the end of the game, you've got one drive. There is a calmness, just looking in the huddle, looking at each other's eyes, there's a good feeling to it."
Do you have any hopes and wishes for the new year?
"Oh, geez. I'm hoping to get through this year first, I don't know. You're catching me off guard with that one. I don't know. Hopefully have a happy, healthy year. Something like that. That's so cliché, but sorry. Yeah."
George was talking about how hard the turf was and he'll have a practice day off to kind of heal up and there are some other guys that do that. Head coach Kyle Shanahan was mentioning that you've got the two games in 10 days, so things will be changed. As a quarterback, you really don't get those days off like other positions do. What's the key for you to bouncing back? You got sacked a decent amount of times to that game, it was an overtime game. Was it a rough Monday?
"I've had rougher Mondays. I'll say that. It's just football. You've got to get back to it. I think this time of year, everyone's dealing with something. Whether it's on the injury report or not, everyone's dealing with something. Whenever I start to feel sore, I think of the linemen and all of the stuff that they're going through. What they do on a day-to-day basis physically is not even comparable to me. So whenever I feel sore, I've just got to think back to something like that."
