Kyle Shanahan‘s demanding nature as a coach is something that carries over into every aspect of the San Francisco 49ers’ game. That attention to detail was necessary to get to the Super Bowl game last season. In this case, Brandon Aiyuk was at the center of an odd situation at the team’s practice ahead the 2024 NFL Week 4 game.
After a 32-19 win over the New York Jets in the season opener, the 49ers fell into a slump with two consecutive losses. The upcoming game against the New England Patriots looks like an opportunity to turn things around for San Francisco, which faces a season of losses. With that goal in mind, every detail in practice matters.
A curious situation arose when Aiyuk took the field for practice wearing red shorts, unlike the rest of his teammates who wore black shorts. That was the surprising reason Shanahan gave the 49ers wide receiver a warning. After a brief conversation, the former Arizona State Sun Devils player changed and got in line with the rest of the team.
The particular moment was uploaded to X (formerly Twitter) by publisher Grant Cohn. Imagining the talk between Shanahan and Aiyuk makes for a comedic segue, but the truth is the 49ers are not for laughs. The 2023 NFL runners-up are fourth in the NFC West and will play again at Levi’s Stadium to host the Patriots on Sunday afternoon.
Kyle Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers injury issues
The San Francisco 49ers’ two-game losing streak is due in part to the team’s injuries. Kyle Shanahan was without 2023 Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey, wide receiver Deebo Samuel and tight end George Kittle, three key players on the team.
McCaffrey still have weeks to recover and it is uncertain when they will return from their Achilles injuries. Samuel is listed as questionable for the Sunday’s game, and Kittle could play against the New England Patriots.
Aiyuk’s performance in the 2024 NFL
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has caught 11 passes for 119 yards with no touchdowns in the current NFL season. He was in the spotlight during the preseason for his contract extension, which ultimately came with a four-year, $120 million deal. Because of this, Aiyuk has not had much of a presence in training camp, so it is understandable that his production has gone from low to high.