San Francisco 49ers news: Fresh off their upset Week 12 win over the Los Angeles Rams, the 49ers are now returning to reality.
That includes being a team without a home following an ordinance put forth by Bay Area officials in order to help stem the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region.
It was earlier this weekend that Santa Clara County Public Health Department officials banned the team from playing or practicing at Levi’s Stadium. While the 49ers scramble to figure out where they are going to play starting Week 13 against the Buffalo Bills, head coach Kyle Shanahan is speaking out big time. He’s not a happy camper.
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San Francisco 49ers news: Kyle Shanahan blasts Santa Clara over COVID-19 protocols
“We’ve been working with them as a partner trying to figure it out,” a visibly upset Shanahan told reporters following Sunday’s game. “For everyone to find out without them telling us, it was extremely disappointing.”
Shanahan noted that the team found out about the local COVID-19 restrictions while boarding their plane to Southern California on Saturday. It caught the organization completely off guard.
There’s certainly a reason for this. San Francisco has not hosted fans for any of its five home games at Levi’s Stadium this season. Santa Clara County officials did not provide evidence that practicing or playing games in an empty venue has aided in the spread COVID-19 pandemic in the region.
San Francisco 49ers news: Where will the team play?
It was noted earlier on Sunday that Arizona and Dallas have become viable options for the 49ers as it relates to hosting their next two “home games.”
The newly-minted COVID-19 protocols in the Bay Area are set to potentially expire one day before San Francisco returns from its Week 15 road date against the Dallas Cowboys. However, the team obviously isn’t banking on that.
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San Francisco 49ers schedule
At 5-6 on the season, San Francisco is now firmly in the mix for a playoff spot in the NFC. It’s now also in a less-than-stellar situation heading into the stretch run.
- VS- Buffalo Bills (Dec. 7)
- VS- Washington (Dec. 13)
- AT- Dallas Cowboys (Dec. 20)
- AT- Arizona Cardinals (Dec. 27)
- VS- Seattle Seahawks (Jan. 3)
There’s a possibility that the 49ers’ Week 17 game against Seattle could be for a playoff spot. Obviously, Shanahan is focused on that as much as the pandemic right now.
This is just the continuation of what has been a trying season for the defending NFC Champs. As late as this past Monday, the 49ers had 31 different players on reserve lists.
They’ve been without reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Nick Bosa since Week 2 and just got Richard Sherman back into the mix. Meanwhile, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and tight end George Kittle remain sidelined.
For Shanahan, this frustration gave in to him voicing his unhappiness with local officials in the Bay Area. It’s hard to blame the head coach. That’s for sure.