SANTA CLARA — Instead of mourning another Super Bowl loss or NFC Championship heartbreak, coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch assembled the media Wednesday to dissect one of the worst seasons of their eight-year tenure: a 6-11, last-place trainwreck filled with unimaginable physical, mental and personal turmoil.
In the days prior, Shanahan removed Nick Sorensen as defensive coordinator and Brian Schneider as special teams coordinator, so this was his first chance to explain those moves and hint at potential replacements.
Here are the key takeaways from their season-review session inside Levi’s Stadium’s auditorium:
On replacing Sorensen as defensive coordinator:
Shanahan: “It was a real tough decision. I love Nick as a person and coach. Still hope to keep him on board in another capacity. Where we have to go as a team, a lot of tough decisions are ahead. …I feel options are out there than can be a better option than we’re in as a team.
“… This being so early I’m going to have an opportunity to talk to a number of guys and we’ll see where that leads us.”
While Shanahan said Sorensen is a candidate to replace Schneider (as he did as Jacksonville’s special teams coordinator in 2021), Brandon Staley is an option to move from defensive assistant and replace Sorensen. Shanahan noted that his past two defensive coordinator hires — of Steve Wilks in 2022, Sorensen last year — were impacted by the 49ers’ deep playoff runs that eliminated potential available candidates.
“It’s a little harder in Febrauary which the last two were in. There’s more opportunities out there,” Shanahan said.
On potential defensive scheme changes:
Shanahan: “I love the scheme we’ve had here. It’s one of the hardest schemes when you have the right guys in the right spots. You have to adjust to your personnel and that was one of the hardest things for us. The injuries we had made it tough for Nick. Not saying you have to change schemes but you have to have the history and knowledge of how to change things up.
On Brock Purdy seeking a quick resolution to a contract extension:
Lynch: “What we know about Brock is he’s our guy. We have interest in Brock being here a long long time. He’ done so much for our organization and won big games. He had a tougher task as we all did through this year. He continued to lead and play at a high level. … That’s a priority (position).
Shanahan: “When I look at the calendar now and see 14 weeks (until spring workouts), I expect everyone back and excited to go, and that starts with Brock. He’s the leader of our team. I’ve loved our three years. Brock is a stud and a great human. What he’s done on the field, we’re capable of winning a Super Bowl with him, and we almost did, and I know he’s capable of it in the future.”
On Trent Williams’ health:
Lynch: “He’s doing well. He had a bruise in the ankle joint and it took longer than anyone anticipated. It’s taken a positive turn. Trent’s mindset is hwere it always is and he’s interested in still being a great player and has a lot in the tank.”
On fourth-quarter collapses and being outscored 165-88 in that quarter:
Lynch: “You don’t want to have excuses. A lot of our finishers weren’t out there. We still put ourselves in good position and couldn’t get it done. We have high expectations. It’s our job to fix that. It’s Kyle and my job to fix that. We’ll go about the work and we’re excited about that. I do believe we have finishers onthis team and need to add that. Need to infuse youth and good football players to this team.”
On contract matters over recent seasons:
Lynch: “Every team has a certain measure of that. We have a lot of good players. One. Of the thigns that comes with good players is it’ shard to feed everyone.”
On Shanahan’s apparent disregard for special teams:
Lynch: “Kyle spends an inordinate amount of time with our team. Special teams is extremely important in how we construct our roster. Neither of us are kicking experts so we don’t profess to know everything about it.”
Kyle: “I just don’t BS you guys with that stuff. We spend some heavy draft picks on special teams players, spend salary cap on guys, like Odum and Flannigan Fowles. Spend third-round pick on kicker. Special teams is important and we do work at it. It wasn’t good enough this year and don’t put it on Brian by any means. Losing your kicker and punter … that put Brian in a tough situation. You can’t change the whole thing out and Brian ends up being the fall guy for it.”
On Ricky Pearsall overcoming Aug. 31 gunshot wound and playing his rookie season:
Shanahan: “It was a huge success for him this year.
Lynch: “I’d agree. You have these exit interview and typically rookies are done from a long year. Ricky, one thing he said, ‘Mr. Lynch, I want to keep playing because I feel I just got my feet under me.’ That’s cool, the best players never rest. His mindset is really right. Proud of the way he handled adversity, things nobody could anticipate, worked through it, and I think we have a really good football player.”
On the 49ers’ widespread personal turmoil”
Shanahan: “You don’t like to watch anyone go through something tragic. When you watch them, you realize it’s the hardest thing any human has to go through it … you realize how stronger it makes guys and inspires those around them. We’ve been through a number of these this year. … Everyone has those tough moments in life, when you go through it, it is unique and makes guys closer and stronger.”
Lynch: “It’s a production-based business and paid to win games and compete for championships. Ackknowledging we fell short of that, I am proud of this team, and there’s stuff people don’t know about. … I will say this season I’ve never had anything like it based on the amount, severity, unique circumstandces and I’m proud how our team stuck together.”
On what he learned from De’Vondre Campbell situation (of not playing in relief and getting suspended)
Shanahan: “What I already knew, that’s something we don’t roll witgh, it’s hard to stomach, and once we saw it, we were done with it.”
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