San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan isn't a fan of improvisation. Instead, he likes his players to follow the script he lays out in his game plan, believing that doing so will ensure wins on game days. So some thought that tight end George Kittle's move to steal a touchdown away from teammate Ray-Ray McCloud against the Washington Commanders might have frustrated the meticulous head coach.
"Shanahan's propensity for pointing out Kittle's foibles is an open secret in the 49ers' locker room, a state of affairs that might surprise people on the outside," Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote following the 49ers' 37-20 win over Washington.
Silver pointed out that during practice last week, Kittle leaped in the air to catch a touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Brock Purdy. His coach's response?
"He didn't have to jump," Shanahan commented, according to one witness.
On the play intended to go to McCloud, Kittle improvised. Silver noted that the tight end was supposed to run a 15-yard crossing route to occupy the Washington safeties, clearing out some deep space for McCloud. Instead, Kittle noticed some open space and opted to take advantage.
"I'm not gonna run to get covered, Kittle thought to himself. Screw that — I'm scoring," wrote Silver.
On Wednesday, Shanahan was asked about the play. Is that kind of improvisation something that makes him angry?
"I do [get angry] until the ref puts his hands up," Shanahan admitted to reporters. "I'm like, 'What is he doing? Oh, all right.' Then I move on, and I'm celebrating. Ray-Ray might have taken longer to get over it, but I could[n't] care less once it works. But it better work."
The Purdy-Kittle connection has been impressive over the last two games. The tight end has caught 10 passes for 213 yards during that span. Kittle now has 52 catches for 713 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns this season, with half of those scores coming in the past two games.
"Brock's made a few good plays, letting it rip, and Kittle's gotten some good looks where he's been open," Shanahan said of the quarterback-tight end chemistry. "And also, he got one more big one, intercepting it from Ray-Ray, so that definitely helps. But I also think Kittle's ... been the best he's been all year. ... He didn't get much in training camp.
"At the beginning of the year, he had to disappear for a little bit with some injuries. When he did come back, he was easing his way in. He wasn't great. And I feel like he's gotten about a month in here without any setbacks, and when Kittle does that, he gets right back to what he's always been, and that's as good as anyone in this league at his position."