“When You Have Penalties Like That, You Don’t Deserve to Win”: 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan After Loss to Dolphins

The 49ers continue to go from bad to worse. They didn’t have much of a chance to make the playoffs before but another embarrassing loss just shut down all the doors. The Dolphins became the latest team to inflict their ninth loss of the season. The loss left Kyle Shanahan frustrated and incensed, blaming the penalties that the Niners received today.

Shanahan criticized his team for their excessive penalties, emphasizing that a team with so many infractions is more likely to lose. He attributed the mistakes to a lack of focus, which not only cost them valuable offensive field positions but also allowed Miami to capitalize and score points on defense.

“No matter what’s going on when you have those penalties like that, you don’t deserve to win. The offense’s biggest thing was lack of concentration. The defense three drives where you have personal fouls on all three of them and two of them ended up in points. That’s the stuff we can control.”

Shanahan is not the type of coach to openly criticize his players, but his tone today carried a hint of self-reflection and frustration. He expressed his disappointment with the 49ers committing 11 penalties, costing them nearly 90 yards.

While Shanahan acknowledged that penalties are inevitable and some games are worse than others, he took issue with the timing and circumstances of the infractions, calling them unacceptable.

The 49ers have been penalized 93 times in fifteen games this season, costing them 728 yards. They have also been beneficiary of 72 calls against the opposing teams, giving them 562 yards.

Penalties were a significant factor in the loss, but the 49ers’ struggles run much deeper than just fouls. Injuries have been a major contributor to their derailed season. The offensive line, without Trent Williams, remains a glaring issue, allowing three sacks in this game alone.

Brock Purdy has endured constant pressure, taking numerous hits that have noticeably impacted his performance. Meanwhile, Shanahan’s offense has struggled to capitalize without Christian McCaffrey, failing to convert meaningful drives into points and consistently faltering in the red zone. Their run game was absent today.

Defensively, the 49ers still look fragile, giving up yards. They are now out of contention and need to focus on rebuilding for the next season.