Kyle Shanahan delivered emotional speech to 49ers on C.J. Beathard amid tragedy
San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan got choked up after the team's 34-31 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday night in Week 16.
Quarterback C.J. Beathard's brother was fatally stabbed outside a bar in Nashville this weekend, and he was not with the team as he went home to be with his family.
Shanahan addressed the 49ers in the locker room after the win, explaining that Beathard asked one thing of his coach: win that game on Saturday.
"Guys, I think we've done it every way, but you guys keep finding another way to win," Shanahan said in the locker at Levi's Stadium. "That was a hell of a job, everybody dude. By no means was it perfect. The heart for everybody here throughout that whole game — the highs and lows we went through for you guys to persevere. Guys, two third-and-16s. Right where we want to have them, right? Guys, this means so much to all of us, everyone who works here. Guys, as cool of a win as there could be. 12 wins for our team. We know we've got one more."
NFL WINNERS, LOSERS:Takeaways from Saturday's action
CLINCHING SCENARIOS:AFC home-field advantage, first-round byes on the line
Shanahan then turned his attention to a graver topic as he got choked up.
"Also, I didn't know what to say to you guys at the beginning of the day, because you guys know what happened last night. Having to go spend an hour with C.J. last night and just being with him during that, you guys know how tough it is for him and his family right now," Shanahan said. "He was like any one of us would have been: distraught, struggling to talk. He barely could talk, and he said to me, 'You guys go make sure you win this game.' And I didn't want to say that at the beginning because this game doesn't mean anything compared to his brother. … (Beathard's) got our backs, just like we have his. It was a special day for you guys, and I'm so glad you guys could do that for him."
The 49ers eliminated a division rival, the Rams, from the playoffs while keeping themselves in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. Their Week 17 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks could determine which NFC team finishes with home-field advantage and a first-round bye.
