If Kyle Shanahan is trying to motivate his top-ranked San Francisco 49ers defense, he's doing a good job. Linebacker Fred Warner is fired up to prove his head coach wrong on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.
Before games, Shanahan sometimes makes comments that push a few buttons among his players. For example, you might remember defensive end Nick Bosa taking issue with the coach calling out the defensive line ahead of the Week 13 game against the Miami Dolphins.
"I kind of messed with the D-Line and Bosa last night, telling them that I thought the linebackers outperformed them last week," Shanahan explained. "I thought they would smile at it, but [Bosa] didn't smile at all."
Bosa remembered his coach's comments as he racked up three sacks and a forced fumble against Miami. After his final sack, Bosa made a comment to Shanahan as the defender walked off the field.
"I was like, 'Don't talk s*** about me anymore. Or talk more s*** about me,'" Bosa said.
After Bosa's impressive performance, Shanahan thought he should do it more often. Apparently, that includes this week as the 49ers prepare for Sunday's playoff game.
The 49ers defense is a prideful group. It was vital for them to finish as the top-ranked unit in the league, and they did so, ranking No. 1 in average yards and points allowed.
"I think today, he might have took a little shot at our defense, saying that the Cowboys defense might be playing better than us or something," Warner shared on Thursday. "So, of course, I took that to heart. But he's always trying to find ways to kind of bring the best out of us."
Warner admits that, as a player, you just have to sit there and take it. Shanahan is the head coach, after all. Whether he truly believes what he says or not, they know what they need to do to debunk the coach's comments.
"You give it back to him by going out there and proving him wrong, obviously," Warner said.
Fred Warner said on night before games Kyle Shanahan will pick on the #49ers defense to fire them up.
"Today he took a shot at our defense saying the Cowboys defense may be playing better than us. As players, we have to take it. You give it back to him by proving him wrong." pic.twitter.com/I4TrcJcWkU
— Charlie Walter (@CharlieWalterTV) January 19, 2023