"That's one of the reasons we went for him," Shanahan said via a conference call. "We knew we needed some depth there, and the coolest thing about him ... I think you heard it from guys yesterday, but the way he's been practicing here every week, he's been practicing like he knew this moment was coming.
"He's been locked in extremely impressive for a rookie, and I think that's why he was ready for his moment last night and made some big plays that helped us win. So excited for him for his opportunity, but really bummed about Huf."
Despite a somewhat shaky start that saw Brown conceding a 41-yard catch leading to a one-yard touchdown run by Buccaneers running back Rachaad White, the rookie rebounded. He later broke up a touchdown pass to Mike Evans with 6:39 remaining in the game and even came away with a Baker Mayfield interception in the end zone.
As for Hufanga, Shanahan was excited about his 23-year-old safety's contributions this season, something that will now have to wait until 2024.
"I thought he started [the season] out well," Shanahan said of Hufanga. "I thought he hit a little lull during the season in our skid, and I thought he played one of his best games versus Jacksonville, and I thought the same thing was going to happen here [against Tampa Bay]. But I thought he was going to end up having a real good year."
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
John Lynch opens up about 49ers releasing and re-signing Kyle Juszczyk
Speaking to reporters after Stanford's Pro Day on Wednesday, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch admitted that this offseason has been difficult. He and his team were forced to sit on the sidelines as free agency kicked off, unable to be as active as they were used... -
Despite the noise, Lynch and Shanahan's 2nd Act may invigorate the 49ers
Let's start with a mea culpa. I got it wrong: It was, in fact, The Last Dance for that 49ers team. You can blame many things for that completely errant prediction, but if pushed, I'd put it down to sheer belief and optimism that such a good 49ers team, that gave us all such... -
Should the 49ers Move on From Shanahan and Lynch?
Surprisingly, this question is being asked so frequently, but if we approach it objectively, the answer is quite straightforward. The short response is that the 49ers should not part ways with Kyle Shanahan or John Lynch, as they consistently win and most teams in the NFL would... -
49ers met with Penn State DT Coziah Izzard ahead of draft
According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda, the San Francisco 49ers met with Penn State defensive tackle Coziah Izzard ahead of the Nittany Lions' Pro Day, which took place on Friday. With the 2025 NFL Draft approaching, most expect the 49ers to bolster their defensive interior...