Shanahan sees no ill intent in string of illegal plays against CMC
Shanahan sees no ill intent in string of illegal plays against CMC originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
49ers running back Christian McCaffrey on Sunday night was again the target of plays likely to warrant significant fines from the NFL.
McCaffrey leads the NFL in rushing through five games with 510 yards and seven touchdowns on 99 carries while playing a huge role in the 49ers’ 5-0 start.
He also might lead the league in being on the receiving end of illegal hits.
In the past three games, McCaffrey was yanked to the ground three times by his facemask, absorbed two illegal helmet-to-helmet hits and had an opponent taunt him while he was on the ground after one of those penalties.
McCaffrey was asked Sunday night after the 49ers’ 42-10 victory over the Dallas Cowboys whether he felt as if teams are targeting him?
“I don’t know. Maybe. I have no idea,” McCaffrey answered. “I don’t know what’s intentional and what’s not. It’s hard to tell when you’re out there live.”
On Monday, coach Kyle Shanahan said on a conference call with Bay Area reporters that he does not believe there is anything nefarious going on. He said McCaffrey’s hard-charging style makes it difficult for would-be tacklers.
“I don’t think teams are trying to hit him in the helmet or trying to facemask him,” Shanahan said. “I think people are desperate on how to bring him down.”
Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson was penalized at the end of McCaffrey’s first rushing attempt of Sunday night for grabbing McCaffrey’s facemark.
In the previous two games, Arizona’s Ezekiel Turner ($10,927) and the New York Giants’ Jihad Ward ($8,153) were fined for facemask penalties against McCaffrey.
Shanahan said Turner saved an easy touchdown when he grabbed onto McCaffrey’s facemask. Two plays later, McCaffrey scored on a 1-yard run, anyway.
“When you run that hard, guys are going to do whatever they can to get a guy down, and sometimes they grab onto the facemark,” Shanahan said.
Wilson is subject to another hefty fine for a helmet-to-helmet hit on McCaffrey as an intended receiver. Wilson was penalized for unnecessary roughness on the play. Then, teammate Jayron Kearse was flagged for taunting as he stood over McCaffrey while he was on the ground.
Shanahan said it can be difficult for defenders to make legal hits when McCaffrey is running good routes and quarterback Brock Purdy is fitting his throws into tight windows.
“When you have such a really great player like Christian who’s fearless, guys are doing whatever they can to try to stop him and sometimes when they do that, they get penalties for it,” Shanahan said.
The NFL fined Arizona’s Jalen Thompson last week ($18,222) for leading with the crown of his helmet against McCaffrey on a running play in the 49ers’ Week 4 win.
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