‘Blatantly honest’ Shanahan takes blame for zero-blitz call originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Four days later, Steve Wilks’ controversial zero-blitz play call at the end of the first half of the 49ers’ loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night still was a topic of discussion.
As the 49ers try to move from the loss to the Vikings and focus on the Cincinnati Bengals, Wilks’ play call that ultimately led to a Minnesota touchdown was brought up again when Kyle Shanahan spoke to reporters Friday.
A day after Wilks took full responsibility for the call, Shanahan shifted blame to himself when addressing a question about the conversations between the two coaches this week.
“Just about football, about the fact that happened,” Shanahan told reporters Friday in Santa Clara. “There was a time issue why we couldn’t make that call and that’s without a doubt on me. I’m the one who can stop that and that’s why I hold the ultimate responsibility on everything. But when I was asked two days ago about the call, he knows we can’t make that off of time and I messed up not calling a timeout so we couldn’t call it.
“But I had no problem with the call in terms of what we do. I love all out blitzing. It’s just not something you can do at that time. So we just talk like that. Talk football, nothing else.”
When Shanahan spoke to reporters on Wednesday, he made it clear that Wilks “messed up,” providing an blunt assessment of the situation.
On Friday, 49ers general manager John Lynch was asked about what has transpired this week during an appearance on KNBR’s “Murph and Mac Show” on Friday.
“I think one thing hopefully everyone has realized and appreciates here in the Bay Area and 49ers fans, Faithful, wherever they’re at, they’ve got a head coach who is one of the most blatantly honest people you’ll ever meet,” Lynch said. “If you could have been inside our room internally, we’d tell you and all our team would tell you how much belief he has in Steve and that was communicated…
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