49ers Notes: George Kittle, Kyle Shanahan, Richard Sherman And More

George Kittle

49ers TE George Kittle said on the “Pardon My Take” podcast that he has played the past two seasons with a torn labrum

“So I dislocated my shoulder last year,” Kittle said, via NBC Bay Area “and my labrum is completely torn. So I don’t get surgery on it — [The protective sleeve] basically helps me, so it doesn’t hurt all the time.”

Kittle did, however, say that there’s “no chance” he will undergo surgery on his shoulder this offseason. 

“I can’t miss those workout days, man,” Kittle said.

Kyle Shanahan

The last time 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan was in the Super Bowl, he was the offensive coordinator for the Falcons whose play-calling came under fire for the role it played in Atlanta giving up a 28-3 lead. Despite it being arguably one of the biggest collapses in sports history, it did have one benefit for Shanahan, as Patriots HC Bill Belichick called to encourage him after the game. 

“It was really cool that he reached out to me after the Super Bowl just to talk,” Shanahan said via NBC Sports’ Scott Bair. “I was able to spend some time with him at the [2017] NFL Combine, which I was very appreciative of. Any time that guy talks, everyone in the world listens. That was especially true for someone like me who aspired to be a head coach. He has been great. It’s not like we talk a ton or anything, but he’s a humble guy who likes to help people.”

That event underscored the respect Belichick has for Shanahan as a coach. That respect also played a role in New England’s decision to trade QB Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers in exchange for just a second-round pick rather than shop him around to the highest bidder. Belichick reportedly wanted to send Garoppolo to a place he would thrive and there wasn’t anywhere better than San Francisco with Shanahan. 

“Having someone like Bill say something like that, for me and what I do in life, it’s pretty cool,” Shanahan said. “That’s a big a compliment as I could personally have. It feels great. Hopefully that’s true because I’m very glad he felt that way, and I feel very fortunate that we were able to get Jimmy.”

Richard Sherman

• Per the Athletic’s David Lombardi, 49ers CB Richard Sherman said he plans to play until 2023 which would be 13 seasons in the NFL. He added he’s open to moving to safety if that’s what it takes. 
• Sherman also says 49ers GM John Lynch told him the team would have signed CB Aaron Colvin in free agency if they hadn’t gotten Sherman. 

Dee Ford

49ers DE Dee Ford admitted he was already tired of the questions about the offside call that cost the Chiefs a chance at the Super Bowl last year. Ford is with the 49ers this year playing his former team in the Super Bowl, but he says time has provided him some perspective on a moment that surely ranks among the lowest in his career. Ford, who has dealt on and off with a knee injury this season, said a back injury nearly kept him off the field in 2018. 

“I’ve been through worse than that — I wasn’t even supposed to be playing [that year],” Ford said via Yahoo Sports’ Terez Paylor. “I came off my second back surgery that I had to beg my surgeon to do — he didn’t want to do it. I wasn’t even supposed to play last year. I had my second back surgery before that year, so nobody expected me to come back. I came into training camp and I was 25 pounds underweight. So you know, I’ve been through worse things than that. You have to block out the negative, focus on the positive.”

49ers

49ers WR coach Wes Welker helped define the role of the modern slot receiver with his career in New England and Denver. Now as a coach with the 49ers, he’s drawing praise for his work with a mostly young receiving corps that has produced just enough to help San Francisco to the Super Bowl. 

“I love having Wes around,” veteran 49ers WR Emmanuel Sanders said via Pro Football Talk. “It was weird at first, but he’s helping these young guys. You take Deebo Samuel, he’s playing like a Pro Bowl-caliber player, not a rookie, and a lot of that’s attributable to Wes. I’m happy he’s my coach, for sure.”

• 49ers RB Tevin Coleman tells Tom Pelissero that he’s spending “all [his] time” getting treatment and trying to regain range of motion in his injured shoulder.
• When asked if he can be himself should he play on Sunday, Coleman said: “Definitely… Hoping to get my shoulder back right and just taking it one step at a time.”