4 players on 49ers’ virus list return
Shanahan defends team’s COVID efforts
Kendrick Bourne received a second straight negative coronavirus test result Friday morning, and the 49ers wide receiver and three teammates were activated from the reserve/ COVID19 list later in the day.
Bourne tested positive Wednesday and left tackle Trent Williams and wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel were determined to be highrisk contacts. That meant they couldn’t play in the 49ers’ 3417 loss to the Packers on Thursday night, although Samuel had already been ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game that the 49ers were never in discussions with the NFL about moving the primetime contest back a few days. On Friday, Shanahan was asked if he was frustrated that Bourne, Williams and Aiyuk could have played if the game had been postponed.
“I dealt with the disappointment yesterday,” Shanahan said. “Finding out that it was negative today, I was glad for
Kendrick and those guys that they don’t have to worry about at least being sick right now.
“I know it’s frustrating. But it is what it is. It’s just what everyone in this world has to deal with right now. They are doing that for the safety. Unfortunately, it wasn’t necessary. But I get why it did happen.”
The Packers were also affected by positive coronavirus test results. Running back A. J. Dillon tested positive this week and running back Jamaal Williams and linebacker Kamal Martin also sat out Thursday’s game because they were highrisk contacts. On Friday, ESPN reported a Packers player who played Thursday had a positive test result Friday.
Bourne had a negative test result Thursday morning, which wasn’t viewed as strong evidence he had a false positive a day earlier. This season, there had been 104 instances of a positive test being followed by a negative test, and it had been a positive in 101 of 104 instances with additional testing, prior to Bourne’s case.
Despite Bourne’s negative test results, the NFL and union are continuing to look into potential COVID19 violations by Bourne and the 49ers regarding mask wearing, a source said.
Shanahan said he didn’t expect any violations to be revealed, but he welcomed the opportunity to see if the 49ers could enhance their safety procedures. The 49ers hadn’t had a player on the reserve COVID19 list since linebacker Fred Warner was removed on Sept. 9.
“I think we’re doing what we think is as good as we can,” Shanahan said. “And when they look into it and still find ways we can improve, whatever they tell us on how we can improve, we will. We’ve got a guy ( at) every single meeting passing out disposable masks.
“We’ve got trackers on all the time. We’re making sure guys have them. We don’t frisk the guys, so we don’t know if they have them in their pockets or not, but we make sure that we’re handing them out and we’re using them. So I think we’re doing a very good job. I’m always interested and want to know how we can do better.”
The 49ers already had a depleted roster due to injuries entering Thursday’s game and the loss of Williams, Aiyuk and Bourne compounded their issues.
Without Aiyuk and Bourne, who would have been their top two wide receivers, Richie James helped fill the void. James, who before Thursday didn’t have a catch this season, had nine receptions for 184 yards and a touchdown. However, the 49ers’ other three wideouts, Trent Taylor, River Cracraft and Kevin White, had just three catches for 22 yards on nine targets.
Meanwhile, Williams’ replacement, Justin Skule, was beaten by pass rushers on plays that led to an interception and lost fumble by quarterback Nick Mullens. The Packers scored 10 points on the ensuing possessions after the takeaways.
“Besides those times that stuck out, I thought ( Skule) did a good job,” Shanahan said. “But under the circumstances, I was proud of all those guys who stepped in and competed.”