Brock Purdy said it felt weird opening 49ers camp without Kyle Shanahan after the coach’s July 14 car crash.
Santa Clara, Calif., Monday — Brock Purdy, 26, said Kyle Shanahan, 46, is still steering the San Francisco 49ers through meetings, practice scripts and situational football as assistant head coach Chris Foerster and the other coordinators handle the early camp grind.
Purdy kept pointing back to Shanahan as the room’s center.
“He’s our guy,” Purdy said. “It has been weird in terms of not having that.”
The quarterback said his first reaction came after Mandy Shanahan’s text, and he checked with George Kittle.
“First off, is he OK?” Purdy said. “I know he’s good.”
Purdy also joked about a throw that sailed near the coach Monday.
“Heads up coach,” Purdy said.
Foerster inherited the job of keeping the 49ers moving while Shanahan recovers.
“That’s going to be more of a group effort than ever,” Foerster said. “It’s not going to all fall on me.”
Warner said Shanahan never really disappears for long.
“I know he can’t stay away,” Warner said. “that guy’s obsessed with ball.”
Lynch said the organization is treating the comeback like a medical process, not a football timetable.
“We’re going to let the condition, the doctors, dictate how he comes back,” Lynch said.
The general manager also said the family comes first as the staff keeps camp on schedule.
“This is about his wellbeing,” Lynch said.
Purdy liked the faster look the new receiver room has brought to camp.
“We have shown that we’ve got some speed now,” Purdy said. “It brings a whole other dynamic to our offense.”
Foerster said Shanahan still shapes the room even in a reduced role, and the staff is following the script.
“The title puts me in this position..,” Foerster said.
In the viral moment, Shanahan’s July 14 car crash near Palo Alto changed the tone around camp.
“Coach Shanahan will participate in team activities on a limited basis,” the team said.
Lynch said Shanahan has been around the facility, but the concussion still controls when he gets back.
The 49ers return to the SAP Performance Facility on Tuesday in Santa Clara.