Shanahan explains why 49ers are staying at soft Super Bowl practice field
The 49ers conducted their first official practice in Las Vegas on Wednesday, ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs.
HENDERSON, Nev. — The 49ers went through their first Super Bowl practice at UNLV despite field conditions that coach Kyle Shanahan wishes were better.
A greater test awaits in Thursday’s return session.
“Today we didn’t have as an aggressive practice, in terms of running and cutting. That’s tomorrow,” quarterback Brock Purdy said. “Today it was pretty good to get out there and move around with light running. We’ll see tomorrow how it is.”
There are no plans to change fields to possibly share the Las Vegas Raiders’ facility with the Kansas City Chiefs, the defending champions who’ll face the 49ers on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
“We had a normal practice. We’re not going to change the whole schedule up. We’d go too early in the morning,” Shanahan said. “We’re here. Everyone has preferences. We’re practicing on it. I wish the field was better but we’ll deal with it how it.”
Among those participating, albeit in a limited fashion, were tight end George Kittle (toe) and defensive tackle Arik Armstead (foot, knee). Both missed practices last week. Said Shanahan: “Both got out there and got some work in. Hopefully they’ll be full go tomorrow.”
The 49ers flew into Las Vegas on Sunday night, and, the next morning, reports surfaced that the 49ers were unhappy over their upcoming practice field at UNLV, where too-soft grass was placed over synthetic turf field.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell countered that Monday afternoon and said the surface was “playable,” to which the NFL Players Association backed the 49ers’ concerns at the union’s press conference Wednesday.
2019 HANGOVER IS GONE
Eight 49ers remain from playing in the 2019 season’s Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs, but Shanahan downplayed how that result will impact this rematch.
“We’re just getting ready this game. Last Super Bowl doesn’t have anything to do with this game, just like last week doesn’t have anything to do with this game,” Shanahan said. “It’s a cool week. You get caught up in a lot of stuff. But you don’t remember this. You remember the game. … What you remember is who won and lost that.”