Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers secured a hard-fought victory to open Week 6 against the Seattle Seahawks, a game filled with ups and downs but ultimately a well-deserved win. However, one play in the final quarter sparked a strong reaction from Shanahan toward the NFL.
The controversy began at the start of the fourth quarter when the 49ers’ punter delivered a 49-yard punt, which was supposed to result in a fair catch. However, a San Francisco player hit the Seahawks’ returner, leading to a penalty flag. The play also caused a fumble, and Shanahan immediately requested a review.
During the play, a Seahawks player appeared to push a 49ers player, and it was clear that the ball grazed the hand of a Seahawks player, which would have resulted in possession for San Francisco. Shanahan challenged the flag, but after review, the officials ruled that the call would stand.
In the aftermath, the NFL‘s Vice President of Replay Training and Development, Mark Butterworth, explained that the replay office only had access to one angle of the play. Meanwhile, the broadcast network (Amazon Prime), which was covering the game, had a different enhanced shot that wasn’t sent to the replay office.
"They only know what they see. They didn't see what everyone else saw on TV." — @49ers Head coach Kyle Shanahan on the referees during his challenge
Kyle Shanahan’s Message to the NFL
In the postgame press conference, Kyle Shanahan faced several questions about the 49ers’ win over the Seahawks, with one reporter asking whether he had received an apology from the NFL regarding the controversial review.
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One of Shanahan’s strongest responses was, “They only know what they see. They didn’t see what everyone else saw on TV.” He also confirmed that no apology was offered, criticizing the lack of camera angles available for review.
“You don’t get any apologies, but apologies aren’t that big of a deal. Once it happens, you’ve got to move on with your life. Apologies don’t make it better. I’m just glad that it all worked out and just move on,” Shanahan said.
