San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan will wait until later in the season to name permanent team captains. Until then, he will be choosing captains before each game. During his Friday press conference, Shanahan explained his reasoning for not naming permanent team captains for the entire season.
"I think it adds a little excitement to the guys when you name new guys the day before the game," Shanahan said. "Each reasons are different. I kind of have my own message with it. I usually try to pick three guys for offense, defense, and special teams. It might depend on who we're playing. Maybe it's someone who used to play there."
During the 49ers' exhibition matchup against the Denver Broncos, Shanahan did pick four team captains – all of whom used to play for Denver. They were linebacker Elvis Dumervil, guard Zane Beadles, linebacker Dekoda Watson, and running back Kapri Bibbs. Bibbs is the only one of those four who is no longer with the 49ers.
"It might depend on something I want to emphasize this week or how someone did in practice," Shanahan continued. "I like being able to send a message by having a different thing each week. I also would like permanent captains but I don't want to pick that before the season started. I want guys to earn it and I think in order to earn it and for it not to be just a popularity vote, I feel like it needs to be halfway through the year.
"So it could be based off how they've handled themselves through the first eight games and who could lead us going forward for the end of the season."
Shanahan was asked if he was anxious for his first game as a head coach.
"Ready to get it going," Shanahan answered. "I want it to get here. I'm excited for it to get here. To be totally honest, I don't feel different nerves now than I have for every single week in my entire life. I always feel this way before game day. I felt this way as a player in college. I felt this way as a [quarterbacks coach]. I feel it as a coordinator and I feel the same as a head coach. Always pretty locked in and ready to go."
The 49ers host the Carolina Panthers at Levi's Stadium on Sunday with kickoff at 1:25 p.m. PT.
