NEW DIGS
Shanahan scoffs at county official’s pointed criticism of the 49ers’ ‘values’
Coach Kyle Shanahan barely dignified a response Thursday to a Santa Clara County official’s pointed criticism about the 49ers playing through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Someone who questions our values doesn’t know us,” Shanahan said on a video conference call from Glendale, Ariz., where the team has relocated for practices and at least its next two games because of Santa Clara County’s ban on contact sports.
Shanahan’s concern for players’ welfare was on display immediately upon arriving Wednesday night.
At the team hotel that neighbors State Farm Stadium — the Arizona Cardinals’ home of 15 years that the 49ers now share — Shanahan gathered 20 players and gave them a covert mission: Check on your teammates’ mental health.
Unlike NBA players who were able to mingle inside their “bubble,” the 49ers are essentially stuck in the hotel rooms and merely interact on video conferences or the practice fields.
“It’s not like we’re in a bubble hanging out,” Shanahan said. “Those things will build up on guys and each will handle it differently.
“I just tried to tell everyone when someone has a problem, whatever it is, there’s no problem too big or too small, and a lot of guys keep that stuff internally.”
On Monday, Santa Clara County executive Dr. Jeff Smith questioned the 49ers’ “values” and alleged they were putting players and the community in harm’s way by playing through a COVID-19 surge, which is even more prevalent in Maricopa County, Arizona.
“Historically, sportsmanship has been about building a team and protecting that team. Coaches, managers and owners used to want to protect their players from harm,” Smith told this news organization. “Those values seem to have been placed on hold during the COVID pandemic.
“If leaders want to protect their teams and communities, they should not play anywhere until it is safe,” Smith added. “One might envision a reemer
gence of team- building if the teams spent their time building a COVID relief fund for the community rather than trying to put the community at more risk.”
After Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Rams, Shanahan praised his team’s ability to play so well despite the uncertainty created by the county’s sudden ban. He also lashed out at the surprise nature of the county’s announcement, to which Smith fired back Monday and claimed the 49ers should have anticipated stricter measures amid the COVID-19 surge.
On Thursday, Shanahan added: “I just like communication, that’s all, and how people treat each other, most human beings. We’ve got to deal with the situation just like a lot of people are dealing with stuff … all over the country. There’s a way to (communicate) and that’s what we were bothered with.”
The 49ers (5- 6) will play Monday night against the Buffalo Bills, the first of two consecutive games at their new “home.” They likely will play 4 of 5 in Arizona to finish out the regular season. They’ve got a Dec. 20 date in Dallas, then return to face the Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on Dec. 26 before the regularseason finale Jan. 3 against Seattle, with that game likely taking place in Arizona rather than at Levi’s Stadium as scheduled, if the county ban remains in effect.
“Here, the hotel and situation we’re in is very safe,” Shanahan said. “The city’s a little different, just compared to where we were at. We’ll try as hard as we can not to be a part of this city.”
The Cardinals’ practice facility is in Tempe, some 20 miles from the 49ers’ temporary digs in Glendale, and none of their games conflict at State Farm Stadium.
The 49ers have used a team- record 74 players through 11 games, and while there are constantly new faces arriving as reinforcements, safety precautions keep the 49ers apart. Hence, Shanahan’s directive to watch out for teammates who may be struggling away from friends and family.
“It’s understanding there is human nature that some stuff is going to come up over the next three weeks, and no one ignore it, just always bring it to someone’s attention because the worst thing you can be in these situations is to feel kind of alone on an island.
“We’ve got a big group going through it so we can rally together and make sure we help each other through it.”
Linebacker Fred Warner said his teammates have adjusted well within their first day there.
“Everybody has bought in, and we all have the same goal,” Warner noted. “That’s why it’s not hard to get your mind laser-focused on the task.”