Why 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan yelled at Mac Jones during the Giants game

During the San Francisco 49ers' Week 9 matchup against the New York Giants, head coach Kyle Shanahan was clearly upset with quarterback Mac Jones—but not because of a bad throw. Shanahan's frustration stemmed from Jones unnecessarily putting himself in harm's way on a short-yardage play.

The moment occurred in the fourth quarter on a crucial 3rd-and-1. Jones handed the ball to running back Christian McCaffrey, who powered forward through several Giants defenders near the first-down marker. Instead of staying clear of the pile, Jones sprinted in to help push McCaffrey across the line for the first down.

Shanahan, however, wasn't thrilled with his quarterback's decision.

"Kyle always yells at me on the headset whenever I do that, but it's just kind of how my competitiveness is," Jones said with a laugh, finding humor in the situation. "If it's close, I've seen it so many times where there's like a pile of people, and then it kind of goes the other way, and then the refs like spot it like five yards back.

"I did one my rookie year, where I pushed the pile in, and that's where I got it from. We scored on it, and I was like, 'Alright, well, I might as well help.' It's another 225 pounds sometimes more, depending on my diet, but if I can get that momentum behind it and the offensive line's doing it, might as well jump in there and try."

Jones is starting while Brock Purdy recovers from a turf toe injury. In seven starts this season, the 49ers' QB2 has thrown for 1,832 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions—production Shanahan appreciates as the team navigates injuries.

Still, the head coach wants to ensure his fill-in quarterback stays healthy.

"So, I definitely have to be safe about it, but it's just competitiveness," Jones admitted.

When asked if he could repeat what Shanahan yelled during the exchange, Jones laughed again and commented, "I wish. It's a lot of gibberish. I can't really hear it all."