Zero wins in five attempts. That’s Kyle Shanahan’s record against Andy Reid’s Chiefs, and Sunday’s 28-18 beatdown at Levi’s Stadium might have been the most painful yet. It was so painful that the 49ers’ head coach unleashed a five-minute locker room lecture on his quarterback, which left Brock Purdy silent and stone-faced.
The scene in the 49ers’ locker room painted a picture of raw frustration. “We got our a-s kicked today,” Shanahan declared in his post-game press conference, his usual calculated demeanor replaced by unfiltered honesty. While his quarterback stood listening mutely to what MLFootball described as a “five-minute lecture,” the air of a “disaster” hung heavy over San Francisco.
The offensive meltdown unfolded like a slow-motion car crash. Purdy, who entered the game looking “unbelievable” this season according to Shanahan, crumbled under pressure. His three interceptions–including one desperate throw into double coverage in the endzone–told only part of the story. The 49ers’ offense sputtered to a miserable 2-for-11 on third downs, while their red zone efficiency flatlined at 50%.
Kyle Shanahan: “We got our ass kicked today.” pic.twitter.com/hK96u0lMTN
— KNBR (@KNBR) October 20, 2024
The injury bug didn’t help the 49ers. Christian McCaffrey and Jauan Jennings watched from the sidelines. Deebo Samuel fell ill before kickoff. Brandon Aiyuk’s knee bent “in a bad way” after a low hit. Even rookie Ricky Pearsall’s debut became a footnote in the disaster, with his first target sailing past him while he wasn’t even looking for the ball.
“We’ll go through the truth of the whole tape,” Shanahan promised, his words carrying the weight of tomorrow’s film session. The truth included six hits on Purdy, a passer rating that barely scraped 36.7, and an offense that looked, in Shanahan’s words, nothing close to “really good.”
Warner’s defensive reality check hits hard
On the other hand, Fred Warner stood at the podium post-game, facing a paradox. His defense had somehow contained Patrick Mahomes to just 124 passing yards and kept Travis Kelce in check. Yet there they were, explaining a 28-18 loss.
“Nobody’s going to feel sorry for us,” Warner stated flatly. The defensive captain watched as Kareem Hunt bulldozed for 78 yards and two touchdowns. He witnessed Mahomes turn a routine scramble into a 33-yard masterpiece, complete with pump fakes and fake pitches that left Warner himself grasping air alongside Dee Winters.
The second quarter became a comedy of errors. Nick Bosa lined up offsides – “He does that a lot,” the game notes observed. Kevin Givens followed suit. Then came the 12-men-on-field penalty, what the reporters called “a coaching abomination.” Each mistake gave Kansas City free yards and easier scoring chances.
The final insult? Trent Williams got ejected for punching a Chiefs defensive back as the clock wound down. As Warner put it, it’s time to “look in the mirror.” With Dallas on deck before the bye week, that mirror might show some uncomfortable truths.
