49ers still practicing at UNLV despite concerns about the field
HENDERSON, NEV. >> The 49ers went through their first Super Bowl practice at UNLV on Wednesday despite field conditions that coach Kyle Shanahan wishes were better.
A greater test awaits in Thursday's return session.
“Today we didn't have as an aggressive practice, in terms of running and cutting. That's tomorrow,” quarterback Brock Purdy said. “Today it was pretty good to get out there and move around with light running. We'll see tomorrow how it is.”
There are no plans to change fields to share the Las Vegas Raiders' facility with the Kansas City Chiefs, the defending champions who'll face the 49ers on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
“We had a normal practice. We're not going to change the whole schedule up. We'd go too early in the morning,” Shanahan said. “We're here. Everyone has preferences. We're practicing on it.
“I wish the field was better but we'll deal with it how it.”
The 49ers flew into Las Vegas on Sunday night, and, the next morning, reports surfaced that the 49ers were unhappy over their upcoming practice field at UNLV, where too-soft grass was placed over synthetic turf field.
NFL Players Association officials are strongly backing the 49ers' concerns.
The thoroughly inspected field “really isn't up to snuff for what our players deserve,” NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. said Wednesday. “Yes, we are aware of the issue. Yes, through a combination of
our player directors and consulting with the league, hopefully, we've gotten to a workable condition.”
On Monday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell downplayed the field's issues, saying it's “playable.”
NFLPA president J.C. Tretter took exception to that description.
“We talked last week that we need to raise the level to make both surfaces (grass and turf) high quality, and then a week later you're saying it's OK because it's playable,” Tretter said. “Playable is not the same standard as high quality. It's about as low as you can go to say it's OK.”
Shanahan shied away from any field criticism during the 49ers' media session on Monday night, saying he is “not worried
about it at all. It is what it is. We won't change anything.”
Tretter shed more light on what may have gone wrong with the surface.
“What the experts agree on is when you're putting a grasssod field over existing turf, you would put a hard, plastic cover over the turf before putting on the side,” Tretter said. “My understanding is that's not what happened, which is adding to the issue of the softness of the field.
“I don't know how that falls through the cracks. I don't know how that doesn't happen if that's supposed to work, and now we have this issue leading to the Super Bowl.”
Among those participating, albeit in a limited fashion, were tight end George Kittle (toe)
and defensive tackle Arik Armstead (foot, knee). Both missed practices last week.
Said Shanahan: “Both got out there and got some work in. Hopefully they'll be full go tomorrow.”
• Eight 49ers remain from playing in the 2019 season's Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs, but Shanahan downplayed how that result will impact this rematch.
“We're just getting ready this game. Last Super Bowl doesn't have anything to do with this game, just like last week doesn't have anything to do with this game,” Shanahan said. “It's a cool week. You get caught up in a lot of stuff. But you don't remember this. You remember the game. … What you remember is who won and lost that.”