Henderson, NV – During the San Francisco 49ers’ press conference on Thursday, February 8th, Head Coach Kyle Shanahan, as well as several players, spoke about the poor field conditions at UNLV, where the soft turf was too soft.
Henderson, Nevada, USA, February 8, 2024 – “Usually during practice, the guys have energy and go for it,” said 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan. “The guys had great intensity today. They have a lot of natural energy and are excited to get to Sunday. You want them to just cut loose once the game starts; it’s not about thinking. It’s about reacting and playing. If you’re out there thinking on Sunday, you’re in trouble.”
The team was also dealing with a smoke alarm that went off in the middle of the night, waking up the players.
Running back Christian McCaffrey said that he was ready to play despite the fire alarms and poor practice field conditions.
“It won’t affect us on Sunday. I mean, I have a job to do at practice, and I can’t be out there worrying about the field. I just try to lock out the distractions, make sure my cleats are good. I’ve definitely practiced on better fields.”
The field concerns hark back to the poor field conditions at last year’s Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, where the turf couldn’t hold up to the pounding of an NFL Game.
“We got the fields, we got the fire alarms, we got everything going on around here,” said wide receiver Deebo Samuel. “We just deal with the cards we’re dealt and go out there and take care of business.”
So it’s business as usual as the 49ers get ready to face Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 58 on Sunday, February 11th, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
