San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy described the team's current training camp as "strange" without head coach Kyle Shanahan, who is recovering from a severe concussion and multiple broken bones sustained in a car crash on July 14.
Shanahan has been observing portions of practice from midfield but has not been actively coaching. Purdy noted the absence of Shanahan's leadership in team meetings and situational football discussions. "He's the one leading all the team meetings, going over situational football, what practice is going to look like – he's our main leader," Purdy said Monday. "It has been weird in terms of not having that."
During Shanahan's absence, offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak has stepped into the role of calling plays during practice, a duty typically handled by the head coach. Purdy acknowledged the difference in hearing Kubiak's voice but praised Kubiak's performance and that of other coaches, including acting head coach Chris Foerster, defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, and special teams coordinator Brant Boyer.
"We're able to run practice and go through installs and everything," Purdy said. "That side of it is really good and positive. But obviously he's our head coach and we all want him here."
Purdy revealed his initial disbelief upon learning about the severity of Shanahan's accident. He received a text from Shanahan's wife, Mandy, informing him of the situation. His first reaction was to contact tight end George Kittle to confirm the news.
"When I first read it I was like, 'Oh no, is this real?' kind of thing. Then it sort of sunk in," Purdy said. "It hurt really bad reading that text."
Purdy later texted Shanahan and received a response, which eased his concerns about the head coach's well-being. "Once he texted me back, I was like all right, he's good," Purdy stated. "It's a scary moment because all you care about is life at that moment. Like, is he alive? Is he good? All that."
The 49ers have not provided a specific timeline for Shanahan's return, but general manager John Lynch indicated that the lingering effects of the concussion are the primary reason for his absence, not his physical injuries. The team anticipates Shanahan may be able to travel for their season opener against the Rams on September 10 in Melbourne, Australia.
Despite Shanahan's absence, Purdy expressed confidence in the coaching staff's ability to manage the team. "Hopefully it's not going to be like that, but if it were I know we have the right guys in the building," Purdy said. "Obviously we want our guy with us in Kyle. The goal is when he's ready he's going to come back in and it's going to be smooth — we're just going to keep going."