If you can’t beat them, go into the air and join the party.
Coach Kyle Shanahan and quarterback Fred Warner were part of NBC’s five-hour telecast of Super Bowl 60 on Sunday, a consolation prize for the five-time Lombardi Trophy winners the 49ers who fell short of the playoffs with a 41-6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Instead, it was Seattle (16-3) sitting in the 49ers’ home locker room before the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots (17-3) at Levi’s Stadium.
The 49ers last won a title following the 1994 season, and have lost three times since then. Two of these came with Warner on the field and Shanahan on the sideline – Super Bowl 54 and Super Bowl 58. Both were against the Kansas City Chiefs in Miami (31-19) and Las Vegas (25-22 in overtime) where the 49ers had 10 points.
Shanahan was also Atlanta’s offensive coordinator in Super Bowl 51, when the Falcons went 28-3 and outscored 34-28 in overtime. Shanahan also went to six Super Bowls with his father, Mike Shanahan, who was an assistant coach with Denver, the 49ers offensive coordinator and who became the head coach of the Broncos. He talked about it while sitting next to Warner.
“You guys are making me bring up dark memories of the Super Bowl,” Shanahan said. ‘I was able to go to nine of these. I went to six with my father and three by myself. I look at it as he got blown out in the first three and then won the next three. And I lost three things along the way.”
Warner was there for several quick hits, including two from the Seahawks locker room, where his 49ers locker was nearby.
“Come on, this is torture for me,” Warner joked. He recalled his first Super Bowl against Kansas City and the big first-half play that made him think about hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
“There’s a time I remember well, a young Fred Warner playing the greatest game in the greatest moment, meeting in the Super Bowl against Patrick Mahomes,” said Warner. “I was so angry, thinking, `If I get more tackles I could be Super Bowl MVP.’ Boy, it was stupid of me, because of course, we know where that went, and the Patrick Mahomes belief began. “
Shanahan has also been a little self-deprecating when it comes to lending his expertise to a Seahawks defense that has given up just 32 points to the 49ers in three and nine games over the last two meetings.
“Professional opinion? I haven’t scored a touchdown in the last two times we’ve played, so I don’t know how good that is,” Shanahan said. “But it’s grinding against these guys. You watch film, they stay (with two deep safeties) all day. It’s a big challenge. You can’t stay long in this defense and stop the run, but they do. And when you go deep, Julian Love is always there. Smartest safety I’ve ever seen.”
Shanahan and Warner were both eager to see how Sam Darnold performs on the biggest stage. Both cautioned that Darnold is trying to do too much, which could lead to three outs and turnovers.
In their final score, Shanahan picked Seattle to win 23-17 and Warner predicted the Patriots to win 28-24.
Some pregame notes from the 49ers duo and pertaining to the Bay Area:
– Warner thought power back Rhomondre Stevenson (630 yards on 130 carries, seven touchdowns) could have a bigger impact than leading rusher TreVeyon Henderson (911 yards on 180 carries, nine touchdowns).
“I played him in this field last year and I felt the pressure when I tried to face this guy,” said Warner. “It was almost like he had a heavy head, the way he could fall forward an extra yard or two . . . , TreVeyon could hit a home run, but I think the important thing today is to take singles and doubles with Rhamondre.”
– While a film clip was playing of Seattle wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba passing 49ers cornerback Renardo Green, Warner said, “Everybody talks about how smooth JSN is, but it’s the deceptive speed you feel when you play against him. You think he’s running the way out, but no, he’s really running my go-ball.”
– Warner said he was over-excited in his first Super Bowl and trying to calm his teammates down in the second. Shanahan said it’s common for beginners.
“I’ve seen guys after the first game come out and need oxygen tanks,” Shanahan said. “It’s all about breathing, relaxing, and trying to get the heart rate down so that when you get to the game, you’re ready to go.”
The game itself, Shanahan said, was almost a relief after a weeklong Super Bowl game.
“For me, it’s the first time since the NFC Championship game, it feels normal,” Shanahan said. “You’re going through all this dog and pony show, you’re doing all these tours, all your plans are a little off. Now you’re kind of in your element, you’re going above and beyond the opening, all the situations, and you’re doing what you’ve done all your life.”
– Shanahan’s key to this game is the one he preached many times as the coach of the 49ers. Run the ball as often as possible.
“You can’t get (explosive plays) unless you run the ball, get it open, get it up,” Shanahan said. “You lean on them, get those 40 runs and that’s what we were able to beat them in Week 1. We couldn’t do that the last two times. You saw the result.”
— Another pregame highlight was a feature on former Laney College coach and athletic director John Beam, who was shot and killed Nov. 14 in the school’s offices at the age of 66. Narrated by Marshawn Lynch, who didn’t play for Beam but knows him as a rival at Oakland Tech (Beam trains at Skyline) and is a fixture in the Oakland community.
“Where others stopped looking for power, Beam found it everywhere,” said Lynch. “Beam looked at the child in the world that was already counting and said, ‘Nah, come here, you have more than that.’ But I told you, football was not a destination, it was a vehicle. He helped young men to become better people, better leaders.”
Two-time Super Bowl champion Marvel Smith played for the Beam at Skyline and was in tears as he remembered winning his first ring for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“The best thing is that he was there, he and his family were there on the field with the confetti falling, as if everything was full, because this is the man I owed everything to,” said Smith. “The coach did a lot for me but he never asked for anything.”
