49ers Kyle Shanahan calls out Brock Purdy’s risky TD pass

You don’t often see a football team’s play-by-play broadcaster directly questioning the head coach of the team he broadcasts — especially after a 31-point win. But that’s exactly what’s happened for the San Francisco 49ers with coach Kyle Shanahan and play-by-play man Greg Papa.

“That was like one of his worst decisions I think he’s made since he’s been here,” said Shanahan of the first quarter score.

Starting at Jacksonville’s 13-yard line, Purdy faked a handoff, then rolled out to his left but found no receiver open on that side of the field. 

Rather than try to run for a few yards, Purdy heaved the ball across his body in an off-balance, across-the-field pass, usually a no-no for any quarterback not named Mahomes. Wideout Brandon Aiyuk miraculously came down with it for the touchdown.

“I thanked him for the touchdown but that was not a good decision,” said Shanahan.

Shanahan admitted he “can say this because he played well” but admitted it took him “a while” to get over the throw. Shanahan added, “He knows that, he knows what he did wrong.”

But Papa, who also a host of KNBR’s midday “Papa and Lund” radio show, took exception to Shanahan’s harsh comments on a day when Purdy (296 yards, three touchdowns) was excellent.

“Once [Purdy] opened up his hip, he made the throw. He got to the over the top, it just wasn’t the way it was designed,” Papa said on Monday, likening the situation to some of Steve Kerr’s reactions when Steph Curry attempts a particularly unbelievable 3-point attempt. 

Papa also pointed out that Shanahan hardly had a mistake-free game himself. Shanahan was one of several 49ers players and staff who left the sideline in the middle of cornerback Ambry Thomas’ fumble return, drawing a penalty flag and costing the team a touchdown.

“Did Brock bring up [Shanahan’s] decision to walk on the damn football field when we were scooping and scoring a touchdown?” Papa asked rhetorically. “‘Coach, what are you talking about? ’”

Papa wasn’t alone in defending Purdy’s throw either, as he was joined by tight end George Kittle — although Kittle did apply a sizable qualification. 

“Well, since it worked, it was a great decision,” Kittle said, according to the Mercury News. “But like every time I see a quarterback rolling out to his left and throwing back to the right, I just think about Brett Favre and the Vikings in the playoffs. It’s one of the biggest no-nos except when it works.”

Kittle was likely referencing Favre’s last-minute interception in the 2009 NFC Championship, which also came on an off-balance, across-the-field throw, and which ultimately cost the Vikings a chance to make the Super Bowl. Papa’s KNBR co-host John Lund also said Purdy has some “Favre-ish” tendencies, which is something Shanahan is going to learn to accept over time — much like, as Lund noted, Kerr has with Curry.

Still, perhaps the most important person in the situation did seem aligned with Shanahan’s assessment: Brock Purdy himself. 

“I’m not necessarily proud of that play, honestly,” said Purdy after the game. 

When told about Shanahan’s reaction Purdy nodded with a small smile — “Yeah, I agree. I agree.”

Papa understands where both the coach and quarterback are coming from, acknowledging that he thought the pass would be intercepted as it was in the air and his live-action call said Purdy threw it “into a crowd.” And while he admits he “loves” Shanahan, his attempt to defend Purdy ended up pitting him directly against the head coach of the team he calls.

“He got it there, it was not touched, it was layered over the top,” Papa said. “I thought he played a brilliant game.”