The odd NFL offseason presents challenges as players spend their time talking with coaches and teammates on Zoom instead of getting reps in on the field. But the all-online offseason hasn't been all bad for the 49ers as it has allowed coach Kyle Shanahan to go deep on film study.
Really deep.
Shanahan explained just how far down the game-film rabbit hole he goes in a Zoom call with 49ers media last week, saying he's dedicated 90-minute sessions to break down singular plays from all possible angles.
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“I show that play 60 different ways and we go through all the different variations of it,” Shanahan said, via The Athletic. “I’ve never been able to do that. Usually, I’ve gotta talk about 10 plays in that hour and a half. And what sticks out about those 10 plays? Not much. It gets very diluted."
If you've got the time you might as well make the most of it.
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After going 13-3 and making it to the Super Bowl before being upended by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, Shanahan and the 49ers are working hard to make sure they get back there this season and finish the job.
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While the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has altered how the offseason normally would look, Shanahan is pleased with how his assistants are handling the unique time.
All the time in the film room has Shanahan joking that his players might be able to coach the meetings now that they have spent so much time on the technical things.
"But they gotta go apply it on the field," Shanahan said. "We need to see them do that. We need to film them. We need to come back in and watch how they move -- 'All right, you're articulating it this way but obviously you're running it this way, so obviously you're hearing it different.' That's just coaching and that's what we're working through."
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The 49ers' offseason saw them lose DeForest Buckner, Joe Staley and Emmanuel Sanders, and fill those holes with Trent Williams and rookies Javon Kinlaw and Brandon Aiyuk.
Shanahan's club is stocked and loaded for another run at the franchise's sixth Super Bowl win. An offseason spent going deep on film study certainly won't hurt their chances at returning to the biggest stage in sports.