FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, November 25th, 2019

49ERS COACH KYLE SHANAHAN & BILLS RB FRANK GORE SPEAK WITH PETER KING IN THIS WEEK’S “FMIA” COLUMN; PLUS MORE FROM TIRICO, DUNGY, HARRISON, FLORIO & SIMMS EXCLUSIVELY ACROSS NBC SPORTS

 “I don’t know how you watch an Aaron Rodgers-led team convert 0 of 13 third downs and not think San Francisco is capable of running the table, all the way to the Super Bowl.” – King

“Sometimes the best coaching jobs happen on teams that should be 3-13 and end up 9-7. That’s might be the story of the 2019 Steelers.” – King on Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin

 “I’ve never met a coach who reminds me of Bill Belichick as much as Kyle.” – Scott Pioli on Kyle Shanahan

“They’re going to be very, very tough to beat up in New England. Even Baltimore, if they have to go up there, they’re going to have a tough time.” – Tony Dungy on the Patriots on The Mike Tirico Podcast

STAMFORD, Conn. – Nov. 25, 2019 – Peter King speaks with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan following San Francisco’s 37-8 victory over Green Bay on Sunday Night Football in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also talks with Buffalo running back Frank Gore, who yesterday surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders for the third-most rushing yards in NFL history, and discusses the rest of the NFL weekend.

Additionally, across NBC Sports, on The Mike Tirico Podcast, Mike Tirico, Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison and Mike Florio recap Week 12, while Florio and Chris Simms break down all of the action across the NFL on PFT Live and Chris Simms Unbuttoned.

The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:

KYLE SHANAHAN AND THE 49ers

King on the 49ers: “In the NFL, it’s always smart to have recency bias. I don’t know how you watch an Aaron Rodgers-led team convert 0 of 13 third downs and not think San Francisco is capable of running the table, all the way to the Super Bowl.”

King: “The team’s got a little bit of the Shanahan ethos. America doesn’t know him yet. He’s not as polished as his dad, veteran coach Mike Shanahan, was. Then again, he’s 39. He’s got time. What he is, is tough and an excellent play-designer and play-caller.”

Shanahan on finding success in his third year with the team: “Everyone here really just believed in each other. That was really tested with some of the times we went through but I think that was the neatest thing about it. We knew we had the right people around. We just had to get a couple difference-makers and stay healthy.”

Shanahan on facing Ravens QB Lamar Jackson next week: “We won’t have a fun Monday/Tuesday preparing for him. But we’ll be ready by Sunday.”

Former NFL front office executive Scott Pioli on Shanahan: “I’ve never met a coach who reminds me of Bill Belichick as much as Kyle.”

King on WR Deebo Samuel: “Deebo Samuel’s been a godsend to the offense. The rookie second-rounder (must have been a tremendous draft for this guy to go in the second round) broke up the game (vs. the Packers).”

Samuel to King: “I was worried I’d never learn the offense when I first got here – the playbook is so big. But I’m good with it now. I love this offense.”

FRANK GORE

King: “The most amazing thing about Frank Gore is not that he’s still contributing to a strong playoff contender as a running back at age 36. Or that he passed Barry Sanders into third place on the all-time rushing list Sunday in Buffalo…To me, the most impressive thing about Gore is that…after having all four of his vital body parts surgically repaired, he went on to rush for 14,681 yards.”

Gore to King on surpassing Sanders: “Let’s be real. Come on. I respect everyone in this game – everyone. But Barry Sanders? Growing up, watching him…15,000 yards in 10 years…This was an unbelievable football player. Like no other.”

Gore on the Bills: “Everything is right here. I remember when I signed here, some people said, ‘You’re going there for the yards. You’re chasing yards.’ For me, this was the right offense, the right team, the right coaches… I’m still having success, still contributing, at this age.”

WEEK 12

King on Carson Wentz: “In the significantly playoff-crippling 17-9 loss to Seattle, (Carson) Wentz played at times like he had a case of the yips…The Eagles aren’t going 4-1 or 5-0 down the stretch with Wentz playing like this, and Doug Pederson knows it.”

King on the MVP race: “It’s Russell Wilson of Seattle and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson in some order for the award this morning, with a cadre of men in striking distance but unlikely to catch them.”

King on Myles Garrett’s suspension: “As of now, there’s no reason for the story to bubble up again – unless another player comes forward to confirm Garrett’s claim (that Mason Rudolph used a racial slur)…If he shows remorse and makes strides to be sure it never happens again, Roger Goodell should reinstate him for opening day in 2020.”

King on the Steelers and Mike Tomlin: “Sometimes the best coaching jobs happen on teams that should be 3-13 and end up 9-7. That might be the story of the 2019 Steelers.”

King’s list of coaches on the hot seat in the last five weeks of the season: Dan Quinn, Atlanta, Jason Garrett, Dallas, Doug Marrone, Jacksonville, & Ron Rivera, Carolina.

KING’S WEEK 12 AWARDS

Offensive Players of the Week: Derrick Henry, Tennessee, & Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay.

King on Henry: “The Titans, on a season-saving two-game winning streak to get to 6-5, have figured out how to make their attack go: Hand the ball to Henry and get out of the way.”

Defensive Player of the Week: Shaq Lawson, Buffalo.

King on Lawson: “The Bills are such an excellent unit on defense that individually their guys don’t stand out every week…But when you hold an NFL team to 134 yards, without a 50-yard drive in the game, as Buffalo did in the 20-3 suffocation of Denver, I’m going to single out a guy.”

Coach of the Week: Adam Gase, New York Jets.

King on Gase: “Looking like lost causes at 1-7, the Jets have won three straight…and that’s a credit to Gase preventing the team from having a loser’s-lament attitude with 80 percent of New York calling for his head.”

Read the rest of the FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.

 

The following are highlights from this week’s edition of The Mike Tirico Podcast:

THE MIKE TIRICO PODCAST

Tony Dungy on the Patriots: “The Patriots are playing to their strengths: special teams and defense. They’re going to be very, very tough to beat up in New England. Even Baltimore, if they have to go up there, they’re going to have a tough time.”

Mike Florio on the Cowboys: “We have learned and continue to learn that they just can’t win big games…You could hear it in Jerry Jones’ voice, he’s getting frustrated, he’s getting impatient. He’s blaming the coaching and Jason Garrett’s contract expires at the end of the season.”

Rodney Harrison on the Eagles’ struggles: “I think they really, truly miss Frank ReichDoug Pederson, I think he misses Frank Reich.”

 

The following are clips from last night’s edition of Football Night in America:

    • Liam McHugh with Aaron Jones: Packers RB Aaron Jones speaks with Liam McHugh on Football Night in America and explains why he is wearing a sombrero.
    • Thanks Mom: DeForest Buckner: 49ers defensive lineman DeForest Buckner thanks his mother for the support and love she has given him.
    • Mike Florio on Frank Gore: Frank Gore passed Barry Sanders for third all-time on the NFL’s rushing list on Sunday, and Mike Florio says the Bills’ running back still keeps the haters on his mind every day.
    • Mike Florio on Cam Jordan: Mike Florio speaks with Saints DE Cam Jordan to discuss his unnecessary roughness penalty vs. the Panthers.
    • Week 13 Thanksgiving Preview: The Saints head to Atlanta to take on the Falcons Thursday night on Thanksgiving on NBC. Mike Tirico, Rodney Harrison and Tony Dungy, who will call the game, preview the matchup.
    • Week 13 SNF Preview: The Texans host the Patriots in a battle of two first-place teams in next week’s SNF on NBC action.
    • Week 13 Sunday Night 7 Picks for Thanksgiving and SNF: Mike Tirico, Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison make their Sunday Night 7 picks for Week 13.

 

The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage heading into Week 10:

    • Mike Florio and Chris Simms, with guest Peter King, discuss all things NFL on PFT Live, including handing out their Week 12 superlatives, sharing updated power rankings, and making their Week 13 game picks.
    • On Chris Simms Unbuttoned, Simms deep dives into film of two games from Week 12 decided by the fans.

 

A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on NBCSN’s and NBC Sports Radio’s PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

NBC SPORTS