© Cary Edmondson | 2019 Sep 22
At 3-0, the 49ers have more early-season momentum than they ever have in the Kyle Shanahan era. They also have the earliest bye week they’ve ever had in the Kyle Shanahan era. San Francisco has fifteen days before their next game vs. the upstart Cleveland Browns on Monday night.
How do the 49ers feel about the abrupt layoff? Depends on who you ask. If you ask head coach Kyle Shanahan, he’ll tell you that he’s not thrilled.
“We’d rather not have it,” Shanahan told reporters after the 49ers’ 24-20 win over the Steelers Sunday. “But it’s always good to rest guys up. You can always use this time to get guys healthier, but it is what it is. You always get a little time off when you have a Monday night game. Hopefully it will allow us to get a couple guys back who haven’t been with us this year and then we know those last eight games are going to be a grind.
Jimmy Garoppolo also agreed it’s a strange feeling.
“Yeah, it’s weird. I’ve never had a bye this early. It is what it is type thing. Got to go back, have a good week of assessing ourselves and get ready for the Monday night game.”
Richard Sherman sung a bit of a different tune, noting that it’s a good opportunity to get back to full strength.
“We need to heal up,” Sherman said. “Get some guys back, who get to come back healthier. We’d like to have the bye week a little later, but we don’t get to control that.”
The most notable player the 49ers will hope is healed during the layoff is Sherman’s cornerback parter Ahkello Witherspoon, who was knocked out of Sunday’s game in the second half and didn’t return. He said after the game he didn’t think the injury was that serious. Witherspoon was wearing a walking boot, and will get an MRI Monday.
Another notable who could use the rest is Dee Ford, who played Sunday (and had a sack) despite almost missing the entire week of practice with quad and knee tendonitis.
“Our training staff was great,” Ford said of getting on the field Sunday. “We’re doing everything every hour that we can. We just wanted to get through this game, get to the bye week, so we can do a little bit more because time is not on our side. We did a great job at least getting to the game.”
Tevin Coleman (ankle) and rookie wide receiver Jalen Hurd (back), who has yet to appear in a game, are also pegged to be close to ready after the bye week.
