49ers Kyle Shanahan 'Learned His Lesson' After $100,000 Fine For Violating NFL's COVID Mask Policy
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- There's nothing like a $100,000 fine to grab your attention. Just ask 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, who was one of three NFL coaches fined $100,000 this week by the league for violating its sideline COVID mask policy.
Denver's Vic Fangio and Seattle's Pete Carroll were also fined and all three teams were given an additional $250,000 fine.
"I'm obviously disappointed," Shanahan said during his Wednesday call with Bay Area reporters. "No one ever wants to have to spend that type of money, but the biggest disappointment was -- I think our organization is taking this stuff very seriously. I think our organization has been unbelievable with the protocols that we've done and the ones that have been given to us and what we follow."
But he also admitted he could do better while on the sidelines.
"Obviously, I can do a better job during the game of wearing it and I got the message and I will do a better job," he said. "But, I don't want to take away from the fact of how good our organization has done in this stuff, in the buildings, with all the players, how we've traveled, the money we've put into it to make it safe. But yeah, I got the message and I will do better."
Weeks before the season opener, 49ers star linebacker Fred Warner was forced to go on the league's Reserve/COVID-19 List. He has since returned and played in the team's first two regular season games. No other high profile player on the 49ers has been forced to sit out this year because of a COVID infection or exposure to the virus.
Since the 49ers opened training camp, the team has put into place a number of precautions to limit exposure and spread of the illness.
During a recent zoom call, San Francisco star running back Raheem Mostert was asked how seriously he and his teammates were taking the threat of possibly contracting COVID-19.
He reached down and grabbed a small device that was attached to a lanyard draped around his neck.
"This is not a bubble. COVID can come through at any time. We are definitely doing that (taking the threat of COVID-19 seriously)," he said. "That's why we wear these monitors that blink when we get within six feet of each other."
This is the NFL in the era of COVID-19. The 49ers have daily testing. Temperatures are taken. Distance monitors worn. Meeting rooms set up for social distancing.
"If you come into this building and every morning you go through the protocol -- waking up at 6:30 a.m.-7 a.m. and meeting start at 9 a.m. and you have to make time to get your COVID testing check-in, get your temperature checked -- it should be an eye-opener," he said.