LANDOVER, Md. — Before the 49ers headed east to their Week 7 match up with Washington, coach Kyle Shanahan said that there wasn’t any extra motivation playing the organization that fired his father Mike.
That might have not been entirely true, because after the San Francisco's 9-0 victory at FedEx Field, Shanahan said that the game ball went to none other than his dad.
Shanahan joked in his press conference on Wednesday that the best part of his time in Washington was working with his father. The worst part about it? “Everything else.” He of course backtracked a little and explained that he enjoyed the players and the coaches that he worked with.
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In his post game press conference, Shanahan finally admitted, with quite a bit of restraint, that the win did mean a little more with his father’s history in Washington.
“I’ve been in a number of buildings and not all of it always ends good,” Shanahan said. “But it had nothing to do with the game. Everyone is a little more sensitive to things that involve your family so that’s why I’m always a little more sensitive to this because what I went through with my dad here.”
“That’s why it was nice to get the win. But it definitely had nothing to do with the game, it had nothing to do with the score, but you always want to take care of things the right way when you’re bothered by how some things have been for a family member.”
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San Francisco 49ers
This wasn’t the first time that Shanahan has been to FedEx since he and his father were relieved of their jobs. Still, the players were very tuned in to it’s extra meaning. Tight end George Kittle was all smiles knowing that the win meant just a little bit more.
“We were aware,” Kittle said. “It was definitely a game that we wanted to win for both him and Mike Shanahan. It was really fun that we could get that done for him.”