American Football

Golden Nuggets: Find someone that loves you like Kyle loves deferring the kick

January 26, 2024

Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Friday, January 26th, 2024

49ers’ Deebo Samuel returns to practice after shoulder injury

“Samuel was a limited participant in Thursday’s session. That’s no small thing given that the Thursday practice is always the most strenuous for the 49ers.”

Deebo Samuel, Trent Williams provide 49ers with leadership

“Samuel and Williams rented a house and lived together for the final month of the season. Living in the Phoenix area, they spent most of their time at the house relaxing and talking about a wide variety of topics, ranging from their shared love of basketball and music to balancing football and family life.

“We had to find something to do after practice and playing the games,” Samuel said. “So, it was mostly just talking s—. Just normal stuff.”

The pair also discovered a few of each other’s quirks. Much to Samuel’s confusion, he would get home from games to find Williams in the clothes the 320-pound lineman wore home, covered with a blanket and getting a full night’s sleep on the living room couch.

That month not only cemented their friendship and established Williams as the only player Samuel would confide in about his contract situation, but it also provided them an opportunity to learn from each other.

Even as the 49ers slipped to an injury-ravaged 6-10 record in 2020, Samuel would walk into the kitchen and be greeted with the same sight nearly every night — Williams watching tape of upcoming opponents or himself, either from games or in practice, and painstakingly evaluating each rep.”

Deebo limited in 49ers practice, trending in positive direction

“We’ve been encouraged by the early signs. We did the scans and all of that. We got good news there, and then it’s, what’s his pain? What’s his range of motion” Those things continue to improve.”

Kyle Shanahan defends conservative approach at end of first half vs. Packers

“His response to critics who say that’s an objectively conservative approach is that the 49ers didn’t get the right defensive look for their shot play, and if they had, San Francisco would’ve been deep in the red zone with two cracks at a touchdown. Regardless, they ended the half with the ball, and he believes numbers prove his approach is the right one.

“Now they didn’t give us the big shot,” Shanahan said. “So now we came to a 3rd-and-2. Well at least that whole half wasn’t on the line on that 3rd-and-2. We knew exactly what we had. We still went for it, but we didn’t get it. Now we can kick our field goal and they’re never gonna touch the ball again.

“So those are the stats. Took me a while to believe it, just like all you guys, obviously. But there’s too much history with it. There’s too much time. And I believe that really helps us have a good record.”

Shanahan continues to indicate that he believes the value of protecting the ball from the other team to end the first half— especially when the 49ers receive the second-half kick — outweighs the potential waste of a chance to score a touchdown by chewing clock.”

49ers’ Kyle Shanahan has had his fill with Brock Purdy-decision questions (paywall)

““It’s something I talk to every quarterback about every single day I’ve ever coached,” Shanahan said. “So it’s crazy how many questions we’re getting about every single one of Brock’s decisions.”

Shanahan then looked at a sheet provided by the 49ers’ public-relations staff that included talking points that could be raised during his news conferences.

“I’m starting to realize it,” Shanahan said, referring to potential Purdy questions, “because I get previewed before all this.”

Niners QB Brock Purdy on playoff struggles: ‘It’s a new game’

“The takeaway for Purdy moving forward is to be more cognizant of taking checkdowns when the big play isn’t there. He acknowledged Wednesday that he probably was looking for the big play too often against Green Bay.”