"Kyle's great. I love Kyle," Belichick said. "A ton of respect for him, his dad, and the way they coach the game ... I studied them a lot and I've learned a lot from both Kyle and Mike. They're great coaches, and their teams are very competitive."
That very sentiment is certainly not lost on those within the walls of the 49ers locker room, either.
Wide receiver Chris Conley, a respected veteran now entering his 10th NFL season, took some time during his session with the media to praise Shanahan for his level of intensity when it comes to the fine details of the game, how he holds players to a higher standard, and what he generally sees as a distinctly different approach when it comes to playing for the 49ers organization.
The specific question posed to Conley was in regard to "what it means to be a 49er" and what's been different about the culture with the 49ers as compared to other organizations he has played for over the course of the last decade.
"It's about ball. It's about ball, and it's about doing what's necessary to win," Conley explained. "You know, the details are important here. And I've always been someone who's loved when people harp on detail. And Kyle [Shanahan] is one of the most detailed coaches I've been around. You know, I can't really think of many others who are that detailed. And that attention to detail, that attention to intensity, intent, is integral to putting that [49ers] helmet on.
"And he [Shanahan] makes no mistake about letting people know like, 'Hey, you have to earn it.' You earn everything here. Everything is about doing things the right way and attacking it. That's something I believe in, too."
Keep in mind, the 31-year-old Conley spent four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs playing under the wildly successful Andy Reid, one of the most celebrated and adored NFL head coaches in recent memory. And given that it wasn't just a quick pitstop in Kansas City, with Conley essentially getting the full Andy Reid experience, the words he expressed about Shanahan kind of automatically vault to a special level of praise.
While Conley isn't exactly high on the 49ers wide receiver depth chart—he did make some clutch catches during the playoffs last season as well as the Super Bowl—having a veteran voice who appears to take nothing for granted, even in year 10, seems like an important presence to keep in the locker room as opposed to sending to the practice squad.
Based on Shanahan's most recent quote about Conley, things seem to be trending toward the veteran making the 53-man roster.
"It's been huge [with Aiyuk out]," Shanahan said. "And then on special teams, we didn't think he would have be a big factor on special teams, but just like everything he does, he's such a pro and figures everything out. He was our best gunner in the Super Bowl, did a hell of a job at that. Wherever we've asked him, he's done a hell of a job for us."
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