Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 320

Kurtenbach: Kyle Shanahan played not to lose — so the 49ers lost

SANTA CLARA – There are so many reasons the 49ers lost to the Chiefs on Sunday. Too many reasons to count, perhaps.

And frankly, this reason seems trivial compared to Brock Purdy’s three interceptions, the Niners’ defense’s failure to stop Patrick Mahomes on third down, and the lopsided mismatches that Kansas City boasted on both lines of scrimmage.

But it’s also an issue that has plagued the Niners for years. It doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

Sunday was the biggest contest of the 49ers’ season to date. It was circled on the calendar the moment the schedule was released. A rematch of the heavyweight title match last season, and the champ was coming to town. The stakes might not have been the same, but this was anything but “just another game” for the Niners.

And yet Kyle Shanahan treated it like he treats all games: He played not to lose.

So the 49ers lost.

San Francisco 49ers’ Deebo Samuel, left, talks head coach Kyle Shanahan on the sidelines during a game against the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024.

Again, it’s only one entry on the laundry list of San Francisco transgressions, but an error in fundamental philosophy — one that has been known for longer than Shanahan has been the Niners’ head coach — is so much harder to fix than anything Purdy or Fred Warner did against the Chiefs.

Because I’m not in the meeting rooms (and no one wants to give me great second-hand accounts of what is happening in those rooms), I try to provide deference to Shanahan and the 49ers coaches when it comes to play calling and scheme.

But situational football isn’t nearly as complex. And when faced with binary decisions to be aggressive or be conservative in big situations — fourth downs, end-of-half situations, and two-point conversions — Shanahan almost always opts for the latter.

It’s the trademark move of an ideologue. Shanahan has a script in his mind on how he will win games. And far more often than not, since 2019, he’s been right.

However, that level of confidence in his plan coincides with a deep discomfort with risk.

Some coaches have a devil-may-care attitude. They have fun calling a game. This is an intellectual exercise for Shanahan — he wants to keep the devils at bay.

As such, Shanahan would never do anything like Andy Reid did at the end of the Chiefs’ first possession Sunday: he faked a punt.

It failed — the Niners had it sniffed out and left their first-team defense on the field. Still, it highlighted the aggression that the Chiefs — a team still at the vanguard of scheme — play within all phases of the ball. They play to win — by any and all means necessary. Kansas City will always keep their foot on the pedal to make that happen.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan talks with Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid following the Chiefs’ 28-18 win at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.

When I say that Shanahan has never run a fake punt, I mean it literally. The one fake punt this team has run (called back by penalty) was when punter Mitch Wisnowsky, on his own accord, made a run for a first down.

Shanahan speaks of such tactics with an open disdain. It’s beneath him and his team.

“You’d like to build a team to where you don’t feel you have to… rely on something like that to get a win. I like to feel that you can do it between the offense and defense of just beating someone,” he said earlier this month.

“I don’t like to trick people into winning the game,” he said last January.

But it’s not beneath Reid, who is arguably the greatest coach in NFL history. Isn’t that strange?

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan speaks at a news conference July 24, 2024, in Santa Clara, Calif.Related ArticlesSan Francisco 49ers | 49ers’ Monday blues — reviewing Chiefs film, Deebo Samuel hospitalized with pneumonia San Francisco 49ers | 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk done for season with torn ACL, MCL San Francisco 49ers | 49ers report card: Punchless offense, porous run defense key another loss to Chiefs San Francisco 49ers | What the 49ers said after losing to the Chiefs San Francisco 49ers | Ricky Pearsall makes NFL debut exactly 50 days after being shot

Let’s be clear: Reid and his staff worked over Shanahan and his coaches on Sunday. Yes, the Chiefs have better players, but the Niners were favored in Las Vegas heading into the game — it wasn’t that big of a mismatch. And yet, the difference in mindsets from the guys wearing headsets made what should have been a more interesting game another Kansas City blowout win.

The Niners, it seems, could have used a trick or two.

They certainly could have used an extended drive on the third possession of the first quarter, but they opted to punt on a fourth-and-1 from the team’s own 41-yard line.

The call to punt isn’t egregious in itself. Ben Baldwin’s Fourth Down Decision Bot, an analytical model that attempts to quantify the values of winning such calls, thought the Niners should have gone for it, but it was close to a 50-50 call. Given plausible deniability, Shanahan, of course, opted for the conservative route.

But the decision also set a tone for the game. Kansas City, again, was playing to win. Shanahan had an opportunity early to match that temperament. He declined.

You have to believe that Reid and the Chiefs noted that. You have to imagine that they loved the decision, too.

So the Chiefs kept pushing. The Niners kept avoiding risk.

It happened again at the end of the second quarter. The Niners had driven from their own 10-yard line to Kansas City’s 5 as the clock ran into the final minute. Kansas City — up 14-3 — was going to receive the second-half kickoff, so the Niners needed to score a touchdown to keep the pressure on them.

And facing a third-and-1 with no timeouts remaining, Shanahan opted to run the ball up the middle.

Even if the Niners had gained a first down on the play, the clock would continue to run. Unlike an incomplete pass, which would have stopped the clock, the only viable outcome of the running play would have been a touchdown. That outcome didn’t come to pass — Jordan Mason was stuffed for a two-yard loss — and the Niners had to rush out to kick a field goal.

Mason had run four times for five yards before that play. Still, Shanahan ran the ball — the conservative option, as it would set up a field goal as time expired — with a chance to make the score 14-10 going into halftime.

Of course, I’m presuming that had the Niners reached the end zone, they couldn’t have gone for two down five points, even though it’s the smart math decision.

I can safely presume that, though, because when the Niners did score a touchdown in the third quarter to make the score 14-12, Shanahan did not go for two.

If you can find a PAT decision chart — a tried-and-true rubric for when to kick the extra point or go for two — that says to kick when down two, please email it to me. I couldn’t find one because being down one point in the NFL— a game decided by threes and sixes — makes no sense.

Bemoan analytics in sports all you want. I might even agree with you on some points.

Then again, games are still scored with numbers, so arithmetic does matter in these contests.

And unless the NFL recently adopted the Canadian Football League’s “single” or “rouge” rule, Shanahan’s decision to send out just-signed kicker Anders Carlson to try to make the score 14-13 is indefensible.

The football gods justly cursed Shanahan’s decision — Carlson clanked the kick off the left upright.

San Francisco 49ers’ Anders Carlson (41) kicks a field goal against the Kansas City Chiefs in the first quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.

They’re just three calls — not one of them was a game-decider — but collectively, they show Shanahan’s reticence towards risk. It’s not strictly philosophical anymore, as we see with his do-no-harm approach to special teams (a tactic that causes a great deal of harm, it turns out). No, this is a practical issue.

It has and will continue to undercut San Francisco’s chances of winning far more than it will aid them.

But the only way to fell the Chiefs is to land big blows and knock them out.

Instead, Shanahan and the 49ers went into the ring with the champions and played as if they could win a 10-round decision on the scorecards.

You would have thought Shanahan would have learned this obvious lesson by now.

Instead, he doubled down on his brand of passivity. It’s one that borders on downright cowardice.

I doubt Shanahan will ever change, even though the lessons coming his way will be all the more acute the remainder of this cursed season.

Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors don’t reach extension before deadline

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors didn’t come to an agreement with Jonathan Kuminga on a rookie contract extension before Monday’s 3 p.m. deadline.

Kuminga, 22, is now slated to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season. That gives the Warriors the right to match any offer sheet he signs.

Last season, Kuminga made a significant leap, boosting his scoring average from 9.9 to 16.1 points per game. Even though his role fluctuated, he played a career-high 26.3 minutes per game and flashed as a consistent 20-point scorer for stretches.

As Kuminga’s draft-class counterparts — Scottie Barnes, Franz Wagner, Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley — got paid this summer, the sides never got close to reaching an agreement, per sources. Kuminga and the Warriors were far apart entering the last weekend of negotiations, and even artificial pressure to find middle ground created by the deadline wasn’t enough to generate progress.

Kuminga’s camp wasn’t hard-lined at the maximum, $224 million contract the aforementioned 2021 draft class players inked. In terms of pure upside, the biggest Kuminga believers would rightly compare him to Wagner, Barnes, Cunningham and Mobley. In terms of production so far in his career, he’s more comparable to Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III, who reached a four-year, $112 agreement, per ESPN. 

Another comparison is Jalen Johnson, who reportedly inked a five-year, $150 million deal with Atlanta.

Even as Kuminga has struggled to make an impact defensively and on the glass, the Warriors have been encouraged by his development. He entered the league as a raw 19-year-old without much high-level experience, won a championship as a rookie and has steadily improved.

Entering his fourth year, Kuminga is one of the best in the game at finishing while getting downhill. There aren’t many athletes who move like he does, and when he puts his head down on drives to the basket, he is difficult to stop.

Kuminga worked to hone his 3-point shot this summer, in an offseason that included trips around the world, the looming negotiations and some time with the trainer who has worked with Jaylen Brown, Paul George and Kevin Durant.

It appeared to pay off. In the preseason, Kuminga shot more confidently than ever from behind the arc, taking shots off movement and even off the dribble. He shot 44% from 3 in six exhibition games this fall.

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But Kuminga’s role with the Warriors remains somewhat murky. They seem intent to keep him in the starting lineup despite suboptimal spacing. He considers himself a natural small forward, but Steve Kerr has leaned toward playing him as a small-ball four historically.

The decision not to extend Kuminga comes down to the reality of Golden State’s immediate and long-term goals.

Extending Kuminga would have made it prohibitive to trade him during this season, and the Warriors have clearly been aggressive at attempting to execute the type of home-run swing trades that may require packaging Kuminga. And if nothing like that materializes, the Warriors would be able to retain Kuminga next year anyway, with as rich a contract as the market would dictate.

If Kuminga continues to develop and has a great season for the Warriors, they’d likely be happy to meet the restricted free agent price tag.

The only tangible risk for Golden State in not extending Kuminga is possibly damaging the relationship with the player. Teams have set the precedent of paying their homegrown players before they technically have to, in an effort to commit to them financially and to express their belief.

The Warriors did that with Jordan Poole after the 2022 championship, and also reached an agreement with Moses Moody on a three-year, $39 million extension.

Kuminga, though, will have to wait until next summer to get paid — one way or another.

Seaside voters will choose mayor, two council members in Nov. election

SEASIDE – The upcoming general election will seek to select a city of Seaside mayor and two council members from among seven candidates, three of them incumbents.

In the mayor’s race, sitting city leader Ian Oglesby is being challenged by Dennis Volk and Karla Lobo, while incumbent council members, Dave Pacheco and Alexis Garcia-Arrazola are being challenged by Diana Ingersoll and Shanda LeBeouf.

Mayor’s race

Oglesby

Oglesby said that throughout his public service career, he has served in several key leadership positions, including Mayor of Seaside for three terms and Seaside Council Member for eight years, with four years as Mayor Pro-Tem. He has also held roles on numerous regional and statewide boards and committees, including Chair for Monterey County Veteran Affairs & Issue Advisory Committee, Seaside Groundwater Basin Water-master and Seaside Housing Collaborative; 1st Vice President for Monterey Bay Division of the Cal Cities and Cal-Cities African American Caucus. He was also on the Local Agency Formation Commission and Transportation Agency of Monterey County, County Rail Policy Committee (TAMC) and many others.

Oglesby, 58, is a retired peace officer.

“One of the most pressing issues facing Seaside is the need for affordable housing. Rising costs and limited availability are forcing many residents to spend a significant portion of their income on housing, and some are at risk of displacement,” said Oglesby in an email. “As Mayor, I have taken steps to address this by establishing the Seaside Housing Collaborative, which is focused on creating more affordable housing options. I will continue to advocate and create policies that prioritize: building workforce and affordable housing; and stronger renters protections to ensure that Seaside remains an inclusive, livable, and affordable city for all residents.”

Lobo has served as a commissioner on Seaside’s Parks and Recreation Commission, worked with the county through the health department on the VIDA project and has sat on several nonprofit boards helping to steer initiatives that benefit the community.

Lobo opted not to disclose her age believing that “age is a personal matter that should be at the discretion of the individual.”

Lobo said that she held several positions spanning various leadership roles in corporate America, but what she truly identifies as is a mother. “Being a mother is my first priority and job,” she said.

Lobo

“The most important issue facing Seaside is keeping families in our city while ensuring they have access to affordable housing, good jobs and quality public services. As a connector, I see my role as bridging gaps whether that’s between local government, businesses or community organizations, to create sustainable solutions,” said Lobo in an email. “My focus would be on fostering partnerships that address housing affordability, economic development, and public safety, while ensuring that Seaside remains a vibrant, inclusive place for all residents.”

Volk said as far as experience, he has worked and volunteered with most of the city of Seaside’s agencies throughout his life in Seaside.

He is 69 years old and has been in the grocery business for more than 50 years.

Volk

“Discussing Seaside, I would like to get a city manager, city attorney and city finance director who live in the city who will work together with the council to find ways of affordable housing that is reasonable for Seaside, and also enhances our city, not just buildings stacked upon one another,” said Volk in an email. “I would also like to look over the city codes to assure property rights are not being violated. I believe a win for me is a win for Seaside.”

Council race for two seats

Pacheco has served three terms on the Seaside City Council, has worked for the city of Seaside his entire career which he believes has given him a deep understanding of the challenges the community faces.

Pacheco, a retired city of Seaside employee, opted not to disclose his age saying that he “has reached the age of wisdom and it is somewhere between ‘old enough to know better’ and ‘too young to care.’”

Pacheco

“The most pressing issues facing Seaside are affordable housing and creating opportunities for our young people. As our community grows, we must ensure that everyone has access to safe and affordable places to live while providing our youth with the resources and opportunities they need to thrive,” said Pacheco. “I plan to advocate for policies that support the development of affordable housing units and work closely with local organizations to enhance educational and employment opportunities for our young residents.”

Garcia-Arrazola, 27, is a first-term council member, former Measure X Citizens Oversight Committee member and former Panetta Institute for Public Policy Washington D.C.

He is currently employed as Communications Director for Assembly member Dawn Addis.

Garcia-Arrazola

Garcia-Arrazola believes the most important issue facing the city of Seaside is infrastructure and housing.

“I am hopeful to continue making critical investments in these key areas to ensure our residents are represented and not forced out of our city. With the new hotel development, which is projected to increase our (transient occupancy tax), I hope that we may be able to make investments in our roads, sidewalks, and crumbling infrastructure,” said Garcia-Arrazola. “Currently we have dedicated $10 million to fund infrastructure projects over the next few years, but as we know, climate change and winter rain storms are deteriorating our neighborhoods and flooding streets. We need to really look at how we plan and modify our community to withstand these storms.”

Ingersoll, 66, retired after more than 34 years of public service with the city of Seaside. Her last position was Deputy City Manager.

Ingersoll

She currently serves as a board member for Community Partnership for Youth, Seaside Lions Club and St. Francis Xavier Church’s Finance Council.

“The most important issue facing the city of Seaside is for the city council to bring in a city manager who has leadership skills, experience in economic development, integrity and professionalism,” said Ingersoll. “The reason this is important is the city manager is responsible for ensuring that the priorities and policies set by the city council are met. I would like to be in the position to make this choice and to work with the rest of the city council members in setting the goals and priorities that would bring prosperity, security and a sense of community to our city.”

LeBeouf’s experience includes being a former Monterey Peninsula Unified School District trustee, Neighborhood Improvement Commission as Chair and current Co-Chair, and was previously a branch manager for Wells Fargo bank.

LeBeouf

LeBeouf, 54, said she has a chronic disability and is currently not working.

She believes the city of Seaside has several issues it currently faces including affordable housing responsible economic growth and public safety.

“Insofar as affordable housing goes, I would like Seaside to partner with developers and/or the county to finance building affordable housing,” said LeBeouf. “Reach out to non-profit developers to assist in the implementation and get state and federal assistance with financing.”

Arizona women arrested for embezzlement scheme from Taylor Farms

SALINAS – Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced on Monday that two women from Arizona have been arrested in connection with a $3 million embezzlement scheme from Taylor Farms.

Karen Rodriguez, 38, and Elizabeth Vargas, 34, were charged with embezzling more than $3 million from Taylor Farms while being employed in the Human Resources department of Automated Harvesting, LLC – a subsidiary of Taylor Farms – between 2019 and 2023.

The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office reported that during that time, Rodriguez and Vargas issued and cashed hundreds of fraudulent checks that were made out to former employees who had returned to Mexico and were no longer working for the company.

Vargas was charged with 15 counts of grand theft by embezzlement, and Rodriguez was charged with 14 counts of grand theft by embezzlement.

The Salinas Police Department started their investigation in 2023, when Taylor Farms first discovered the theft, and the District Attorney’s Office continued the investigation. Investigators obtained arrest warrants on Oct. 11 this year.

On Oct. 16, Rodriguez was arrested by the San Luis Police Department at the Luis Port of Entry in Yuma, Arizona. On Oct. 17, Vargas was arrested by the San Luis Police Department during a traffic stop in Somerton, Arizona.

The District Attorney’s Office will seek extradition to Monterey County. Bail is set at $200,000 each.

Multiple people arrested in Marina for outstanding warrants

MARINA – The Monterey Police Department arrested multiple people for being in possession of weapons and burglary tools.

Monterey Police were conducting surveillance in the 300-block of Max Circle in Marina last Thursday, and recognized people who were on probation and had an outstanding warrant.

The Marina Police Department also responded, and the people in question were contacted and searched.

Rio Breazile, 40 from Monterey, Kristina Howard, 37, from Marina and Steven Blankenship, 42, from Marina were arrested and taken to the Monterey County Jail.

Breazile was booked into the Monterey County Jail for possessing burglary tools, having an assault weapon, manufacturing a short-barreled rifle, having an unserialized firearm, possession of paraphernalia and violating probating. Breazile was denied bail.

Howard was taken in for an outstanding warrant on possession of a controlled substance, but was later released on a citation.

Blankenship was booked into the Monterey County Jail for being in possession of a firearm and having an assault weapon. His bail was set at $20,000.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Sergeant Greg Galin at (831) 646-3872 or to remain anonymous call (831) 646-3840.

DeSantis using state money, time and his power to fight abortion rights measure

By BRENDAN FARRINGTON

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — After a month of updating Floridians on hurricanes, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is now focusing his official office on fighting an abortion rights amendment, holding a campaign-like rally at state expense two weeks before the election.

DeSantis’ event Monday, which was capped with a prayer from the archbishop of Miami and the lieutenant governor asking people to not vote like atheists, came after the Department of Health’s top lawyer resigned over a letter he said the governor’s office forced him to send to television stations in an effort to stop a pro-Amendment 4 ad.

“When you’re dealing with constitutional amendments your default should always be no,” DeSantis said at the event attended by doctors who opposed the abortion amendment. “You can always alter normal policies and legislation. Once it’s in the constitution, that’s forever. You really have zero chance of ever changing. it.”

Just before the event, former Department of Health top lawyer John Wilson signed an affidavit stating that lawyers for DeSantis wrote a letter under his name and told him to mail it to television stations threatening legal action if they continued to air a Yes on 4 ad.

Wilson said in Monday’s affidavit that he later resigned rather than send additional letters. Last week a judge blocked the department from taking any more action to threaten TV stations over the ads. Floridians Protecting Freedom, the group that produced the commercial, filed a lawsuit Wednesday over the state’s communications with stations.

“This affidavit exposes state interference at the highest level. It’s clear the State is hellbent on keeping Florida’s unpopular, cruel abortion ban in place,” Yes on 4 campaign director Lauren Brenzel said in a statement emailed to reporters. “Their extreme attacks on Amendment 4 are an anti-democratic tactic.”

The ballot measure is one of nine similar ones across the country, but the campaign over it is the most expensive so far, with ads costing about $160 million, according to the media tracking firm AdImpact. It would require the approval of 60% of voters to be adopted and would override the state law that bans abortion in most cases after the first six weeks of pregnancy, which is before women often realize they’re pregnant.

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After one of the doctors said his opposition to the amendment wasn’t religious, Nunez said the issue was religious for her.

“We cannot go to church and pray like Christians and turn around and vote like atheists,” Nunez said to an extended standing ovation.

The event closed with a prayer by Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski.

“We pray … that you awaken in every heart of the citizens of this great state of Florida reverence for the work of your hands and renew among your people a readiness to nurture and sustain your precious gift of human life,” Wenski said.

A group critical of DeSantis issued a statement condemning the use of government resources to hold the No on 4 event.

“DeSantis continued his weaponization of state government against his own constituents by coordinating a taxpayer-funded press conference with the political campaign opposing Amendment 4 in his quest to silence the voices of doctors and patients suffering under Florida’s extreme abortion ban,” said DeSantis Watch spokesman Anders Croy.

Moses Moody, Steve Kerr react to contract extension with Warriors

SAN FRANCISCO — Minutes before taking the podium in the Bill King Interview Room at Chase Center, Moses Moody put pen to paper on his three-year, $39 million contract. 

It was a moment of validation for the former 14th overall pick. A symbol of recognition. A tangible piece of life-changing money.

“Coming to the NBA, it’s a good thing, but you’ve got to work for it,” Moody, 22, said. “You’ve got to make your place here, you’ve got to solidify yourself over your first deal. So being able to do that, even though there’s more to come, but just not getting too forward-thinking and being able to embrace the moment and appreciate it.”

In 181 regular-season games, Moody has averaged 5.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per game while shooting 36.2% from behind the arc.  Despite producing when given opportunities, Moody’s playing time has fluctuated greatly across the past three years.

Even entering this season, Moody is unclear about what his role will be in Golden State’s crowded rotation. The extension didn’t come with any guarantees of playing time; “No, it can’t work that way,” coach Steve Kerr said.

None of that prevented Moody from committing to the Warriors, and they to him.  As Moody said on Monday, actions speak louder than words.

“He’s everything we want in our program, our organization,” Kerr said. “Just the character, the work ethic, the resilience. He’s earned this. And I’m just thrilled for him. And I know how excited he is, as this should be a momentous day in his career. And he’s got a lot of years left, too. So I think this is great for him and great for us.”

Moody could have decided to opt against pursuing a contract extension in hopes that a big season could earn him a bigger deal next summer as a restricted free agent. Instead, he locked in long-term security.

“A lot of that comes from conversations with my agent, Rich (Paul),” Moody said. “And we talked through different scenarios and felt it out. But being able to come to this conclusion, I think, was the best route.”

Moody will play on his $5.8 million deal this season before getting to an average annual value of $13 million over the next three years. That price point is roughly what the non-taxpayer midlevel exception is, which teams typically hand to players they believe can fill a valuable bench role.

Through all the ups and downs of Moody’s role with Golden State, he has never complained. He has stayed true to his principles, flexing the kind of professionalism and maturity the franchise values.

“We obviously want to invest in people,” Kerr said. “In people we believe in. Players obviously have to be talented, they have to fit in with what they do — all that stuff. But ultimately, you’re investing in people you believe in. And Moses is that person. He’s always been very wise, from a young age. From his first year with the team, you could see a very quiet wisdom that his parents clearly bestowed upon him. I’ve just always enjoyed coaching him and being around him. He’s been through the ringer a little bit.”

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Minutes were scarce for Moody as a rookie on the 2022 championship team, along with 2021 draft-classmate Jonathan Kuminga. Last season, he got DNPs in seven games, was inactive for nine more and played fewer than 15 minutes in 21 games.

This offseason, Moody worked to quicken the release of his jump shot and improve the efficiency of his movement. He finished second in the NBA in preseason points, looking much more confident handling the ball and creating his own shots.

Moody said he’s unsure how much his preseason performance factored into the team’s decision to offer him an extension, but it couldn’t have hurt. The team could see the upward trajectory he worked to put himself on.

On brand for Moody, the wing doesn’t have any lavish plans for purchases or celebrations now that he has $39 million of guaranteed money secured. He called his parents back home in Little Rock, Arkansas, after agreeing to the contract and his teammate, Draymond Green, called shortly thereafter to show love.

“I’m a slow-motion type of dude,” Moody said. “I’m not trying to do too much, too fast. I’ve never had this much money before, and I still don’t technically. But trying to learn about it as I get it, as I grow, learn about financial literacy. Real estate’s something I’ve been interested in. Meet people, hang around people I can talk to and get game from. That’s kind of where I’m at more so than spending it.”

Moody finished his media availability by thanking Kerr, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the Lacob family. And just because he doesn’t have any immediate plans to celebrate, that doesn’t mean he won’t.

“I don’t want to take it for granted and move too fast, not be able to enjoy the fruits of my labor,” Moody said. “I’ve got to figure that out.”

Horoscopes Oct. 21, 2024: Glen Powell, life has too much to offer

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Blanca Suarez, 36; Glen Powell, 36; Matt Dallas, 42; Judge Judy Sheindlin, 82.

Happy Birthday: Self-improvement will raise your profile and point you in a new direction.

Your ability to grasp information and skills will help catapult you to stardom and magnify possibilities you never knew existed. Don’t fear change and stay calm; life has so much to offer if you go with the flow. Take the plunge and encourage relationships with diverse people who challenge you to live life fully. Your numbers are 5, 12, 17, 26, 31, 39, 48.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Stick to the truth, fulfill promises to yourself and others, and use your energy productively. Getting along with those you share dependencies with will make life easier and your journey more fruitful. Choose and stick to a healthy fitness and diet routine. Romance is in the stars. 4 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Check your emotions at the door when decisions are necessary. Research, fact-check and don’t rely on others for answers or solutions. Take charge, invest in yourself and be direct regarding your choices, budget and contributions. Put your energy into your goals and believe in yourself before trusting others. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Look for the good in everyone and everything and start an infectious trend that leads to positivity and getting things done. Attitude can make a difference and peg you as the instigator or mastermind behind what transpires. Partnerships look promising, and change appears enticing. Embrace life, love and happiness. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Be true to your word and kind to those who need your help or guidance. A change you make that represents what’s important to you will have a bigger impact on the results. Follow through with actions, and the financial returns will pleasantly surprise you. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Check out what’s available and determine the groups or experts that can help you find alternatives when you hit a brick wall. A friendly demeanor and good intentions will make your quest for knowledge, assistance and physical attributes that help fulfill your dreams entertaining and worthwhile. 4 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Simplify your life. Understate what you will donate or how you will participate in a cause. A shift at home or work will have underlying advantages you won’t initially see or understand. Collect your thoughts, determine what you want and need, and take the path that’s right for you. 2 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Observing what’s happening around you will help you recognize what and who is authentic. Let your instincts take you in a direction that makes you feel comfortable, offers diversity and has plenty of room for growth. Distance yourself from negative people. An optimistic attitude will carry weight. 5 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Put energy into reviewing and revising what’s standing between you and where you are heading. Changing your surroundings will spark your imagination and offer insight into what motivates you to thrive and excel. Put your energy where it counts; the results will stimulate you to test the possibilities. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Put your energy to work for you. Get physical, participate and continue until you feel satisfied with what you achieve. Consider how you can improve your lifestyle by making your space user-friendly. Surroundings that motivate you will lead to productivity and free time to enjoy loved ones. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Stop worrying about what you don’t know, and use your attributes and expertise properly. How you direct your energy will determine your success. Stick to your budget and do the work yourself. Look for unique ways to use your talents to bring in extra cash. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Declutter and make room for your next move. Starting with a blank canvas will promote new beginnings. Follow your heart’s desires and make the most of every moment. Rethink your plans, set a budget and map out a suitable path that will get you where you want to go. 5 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Simplify your life. Sell what you no longer need. Having your finances in order and fewer things to worry about will free your soul and give you the mental maneuverability to discover what’s compatible with the lifestyle you desire. Protect your health and emotional well-being. 2 stars

Birthday Baby: You are intense, persistent and unique. You are broad-minded and understanding.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

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What the 49ers said after losing to the Chiefs

The 49ers kept the score close until early in the fourth quarter on Sunday, but it was a rough day all-around in the 28-18 loss to the Chiefs at Levi’s Stadium.

In the rematch of the Super Bowl nine months ago, Brock Purdy was intercepted three times, Patrick Mahomes again came up big in key moments against the San Francisco defense, and special teams struggled as the Chiefs remained the only unbeaten team in the NFL.

Related ArticlesSan Francisco 49ers | ‘It meant everything’: Ricky Pearsall makes NFL debut exactly 50 days after being shot San Francisco 49ers | Mahomes, Kansas City might have delivered a knockout blow on the 49ers San Francisco 49ers | Now we’ll see how 49ers’ Brock Purdy handles real adversity San Francisco 49ers | Travis Kelce praises SF 49ers defense,’ Patrick Mahomes talks Collins San Francisco 49ers | Photos: San Francisco 49ers lose to undefeated Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl rematch Adding injury to insult, the 49er finished the game without any of their starting wide receivers when Brandon Aiyuk (possible ACL tear) and Deebo Samuel (illness) were sidelined for all of the second half. Jauan Jennings didn’t even suit up because of a hip injury.

Purdy finished the day with 212 passing yards, but was 17 of 31 to go with the three picks. Two of Purdy’s interceptions came on third down, which was a struggle for the 49ers all game. Mahomes and the Chiefs, by comparison, converted eight of their 13 third-down plays.

Mahomes wasn’t great — he completed 16 of 27 attempts for 154 yards and no touchdowns and was intercepted twice, but also accounted for big runs at key times to keep the Chiefs offense on the field.

Jordan Mason rushed 14 times for 58 yards, but 26 came on one run. The 49ers did see the debut of rookie receiver Rockey Pearsall Jr., who caught three passes for 21 yards 50 days after being shot during a downtown robbery attempts and reliable George Kittle caught six passes for 92 yards.

Here’s some of what the 49ers had to say after the game:

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan stands on the sidelines during their game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Kyle Shanahan

On what message he delivered to the team:

“I want them to say less today. There’s no way to sugarcoat that. We got our ass kicked today. Lots of reasons for it, but those are things that they don’t need to sit and think about today. We’ll address all those tomorrow. We’ll get together, we’ll go through the truth of the whole tape, be hard on each other and find a way to put it to bed so we can come out here and make sure we put our best foot forward and find a way to get a win versus Dallas.”

On the defensive performance:

“I thought the defense today, compared to everything else, gave us a chance. I thought they settled them down, but four-of-five in the red zone was the biggest thing. They scored pretty much every time they got down there. Mahomes just keeping plays alive with his legs. The 30-or-so scramble that he did, and then extended it by the sidelines, which we see over and over and everyone thinks they’re ready for it, but then he gets another team again with it. Hats off to him, he’s an unbelievable player. But we didn’t play good as a team today.”

On Samuel and Aiyuk’s status:

“[WR] Deebo [Samuel Sr.] had an illness today, tried to go, couldn’t do it, never returned. And [WR] Brandon Aiyuk had a knee, we’re worried it’s an ACL. Not confirmed yet, but we’ll find out for sure (Monday).”

On Aiyuk possibly having a torn ACL?

“That’s what it looks like, but we don’t know for sure, just doing the tests and everything with our hands and with the trainers and stuff, all that. So that’s what we fear. That’s what it looks like, but we’ve been wrong before. So, praying that we are.”

On Purdy’s performance:“Brock elevates himself a lot. Regardless of whether guys are down or up, Brock’s been doing that every game. He had a couple good plays today, but just overall, him, along with all of us on offense, we didn’t do well. When you do miss your best players or some of them and they go out with injuries, it makes it harder on everyone. You hope that you can overcome that with some stuff with some of other guys, like Brock who is very capable of doing that, but just wasn’t his best day.”

On the continued struggles with special teams:

“We’re going to keep coaching them, we’re going to keep putting pressure on us as coaches, pressure on the players. As you do get guys down, you can’t just try the next guy. So, some of these guys are getting their opportunities because of injuries and we have to make sure that we get better at this. There are certain things that we have gotten better at but that big punt return, mainly, the one that stuck out to me. They’re getting too much, and we just have to continue to work at it and not ignore it, which we’re not.”

On the emotionally toll of injuries:”I know a lot of teams deal with it. Not every team, but we’re dealing with it hard right now and it got worse today.”

On how Purdy dealt with inexperienced receivers with Samuel and Aiyuk out:

“We didn’t do anything really good on offense. I know he’d love to have all three of those picks back. Brock’s been playing unbelievable this year. Done some good things on offense this year, but today wasn’t that day.”

On Rickey Pearsall returning to the field:

“We kind of celebrated that almost all week with him, because it was great to have him back and he looked great in practice. He was going to get eased in a little today, it changed a little bit with Deebo going out, then it changed a bunch with Aiyuk going out. So he had to do more than we expected today and I was proud of him for handling it. Great to have him back.”

On Samuel’s illness:

“Throat, stomach things, just real fatigued. Struggled to breathe, couldn’t catch his breath. And so, he kept trying to fight through it, but once he was struggling with the breathing and everything, we had to shut him down.”On the importance of the Super Bowl rematch:

“It’s why I try not to make it about that stuff. Obviously, we all know how much last year hurt. When you’re studying that tape all week and stuff, it does bring up emotions and everything. And yeah, you would love to beat someone, but that has, if we beat them today, that wasn’t going to change anything with the Super Bowl either. We would love to do it. We haven’t been able to beat them, so that’s something that would feel really good, but I’m not going to make that more than it is. It’s why we try not to make it more than it is all week, whether we won or lost. We knew we were going to come in Monday and review it and know we were going to have a big game versus Dallas this week before the bye week. Our goal is to be leading our division after this bye week. I didn’t even watch what happened today. I think Seattle won, but we have to keep it close here and find a way to get a win next week.”

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) walks off the field after being defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 28-18. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Brock PurdyOn his performance:

“I think I’ve just got to play better for sure just with my throws and some decisions. That’s pretty simple. I’ve obviously got to watch the film and stuff, but my instant reaction is I’ve got to play better.”

On the offense’s early struggles:

“Obviously it’s tough to get the ball rolling when we’re not getting first downs and things like that. So, it starts with that. I think we’ve got to convert on third downs and find a way, especially when our defense is doing a great job getting stops and getting us the ball back. It’s on us, man, to move the chains and we just failed. Obviously, Kansas City is a great defense and everything, but we’re a great offense in our eyes and we know that we can play at a really high level. And so that’s on us to get the ball rolling. Not really sure. Still got to watch the film and see what happened.”

On the impact of losing Brandon Aiyuk and then the impact of getting WR Ricky Pearsall?“Obviously just what B.A. does for our offense and who he is and as a teammate and a brother of ours, it’s sad. Wishing him nothing but the best and praying for him. That’s my guy. When he goes down like that, obviously we have other guys that can step up and do their job really well. Ricky having him back for his first game was awesome. Just seeing him back out there and making cuts and plays, he’s a baller too. So, we’re really excited for him and for his growth and to bring him with us. We’re excited about that and thinking about B.A. and wishing him nothing but the best too. We’ve all just got to come together as a group, collectively, as the receiver unit and all of us. Guys just got to step up and they have. That’s the nature of the sport, sadly.”

I know quarterbacks are only supposed to do his job. Do you start naturally feel more responsibility when some of the bigger names, RB Christian McCaffrey, Brandon, and WR Deebo Samuel Sr. are out of the offense?“I don’t really think that. All I think about is what my job is, going through my reads, trusting in Kyle’s play call and hitting the open guy. I think there was many opportunities tonight or in this game where I could have been better. That’s just how I feel. Is there more pressure for me to put on a Superman cape and do more? No. I think who we have and the players that we have that step up in those positions, they’ve done a great job and we have a lot of talent in my eyes. That’s on me and we’ll just all continue to grow and fight on this journey together.”

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) runs to avoid being sacked by San Francisco 49ers’ Nick Bosa (97) in the second quarter of their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Nick Bosa

On another loss to the Chiefs

“Yes, we obviously want to beat a team that’s had our number since I’ve been here. We just did not play well enough.”

Jake Brendel

On possibly losing Aiyuk for the rest of the season

“It sucks. I am still not sure what it is, but any injury like that to one of your weapons on offense and defense, it just sucks. I feel like as a roster, we just have to respond. Whoever’s next on the roster needs to step up and make sure that there isn’t a setback and productivity on offense.”

San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle (85) leaps to catch a pass while being tackled by Kansas City Chiefs’ Christian Roland-Wallace (30) in the fourth quarter of their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 28-18. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

George Kittle

On Pearsall’s debut:

“It’s awesome. To go through what he went through, then to be back seven weeks later and make an impact and really just get out there in front of the crowd. Probably had some jitters. I don’t know if he did, but I think I would in that situation. He came out and made the play when needed to make a play. For the crowd to kind of give him a standing ovation was a really special moment. I’m happy for him to be back on the football field after we drafted him in the first round. He’s an amazing athlete. He’s a hell of a wide receiver so the more reps he gets – the more practice reps he gets – he’s going to be a really good player for us.”

On the importance of next week’s Cowboys game before a bye

“It’s huge. Every game is huge. I think it’s Sunday night football so all eyes on Levi Stadium which I’m excited about. It’s a great rivalry – it always has been. We need to get a win and especially because it’s an NFC opponent. We have to continue to stay in the hunt. We have to try and stay ahead in our division as best we possibly can and try to get a little bit better. I’ve said multiple times, ‘you want to be a better team in October than you were of September, and better in November than you were October.’ We did not get better today. We had some good plays, but it was not our best performance.”

Malik Mustapha

On how the team rebounds from the loss:

“We need to just go back to the drawing board. At the end of the day, we can’t sit around moping about it. We’ve got to go back to work the next day. We’re going to critique ourselves hard. There is still a lot of time to show what we want to make out of this season – only lessons, never losses.”

San Francisco 49ers’ Ricky Pearsall (14) makes a catch against Kansas City Chiefs’ Bryan Cook (6) in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Ricky Pearsall

On returning to the field:

“It meant everything considering all the adversity I went through this past month. It was really good to go out there with my guys again. I think that’s a refresher for me. When the incident happened, the first thing I was thinking about was the guys and coaches in this locker room and the entire staff. They did a really good job of rallying around me and making sure I stayed up. It was a huge blessing for me today.”

On at what point did he realize he’d be able to play football again?

“They told me in the hospital when I was still asking that question over and over again. That was a common question coming out of my mouth when I was in the hospital bed. They ended up telling me after they saw the x-rays and the cat scans of the bullet path. There was also some nerve stuff that I had to make sure I was good on, so that’s why I had to stay overnight. After that, the next morning is when the doctor came in and told me I would be good to play football again. That was my first question.”

Fred Warner

On where the team goes from here:

“My initial thought is we didn’t play good enough to win. I really want to move on. Look at the film hard and you can do one of two things. Like you can sulk in defeat or you can see what the reality is, fix it, move on, and get ready to win a game next week. There’s so many things that are going to be said, obviously about where we’re at and that team. At the end of the day, that’s not going to help us move forward. That’s not going to help us for next week. We have to just look at the reality of what it is, flush it and move on and win a game next week.”

‘It meant everything’: Ricky Pearsall makes NFL debut exactly 50 days after being shot

SANTA CLARA — Ricky Pearsall’s first thought after being shot in the chest on Aug. 31 was obvious.

Would I live? 

Once doctors determined that, yes, Pearsall would survive, he shifted his attention to the next logical line of questioning.

Would I be able to play football again?

“That was a common question coming out of my mouth when I was in the hospital bed,” Pearsall said with a sly smile postgame.

San Francisco 49ers’ Ricky Pearsall (14) lines up against Kansas City Chiefs’ Nazeeh Johnson (13) in the first quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

On an otherwise unsettling Sunday for the red and gold — a day in which the 49ers lost their Super Bowl rematch against the Chiefs and potentially lost Brandon Aiyuk for the season in the process — Pearsall provided a brief moment of collective euphoria. Exactly 50 days after being shot in San Francisco’s Union Square during a robbery attempt, Pearsall took the field at Levi’s Stadium and made his NFL debut, hauling in three catches for 21 yards.

“It meant everything considering all the adversity I went through this past month,” Pearsall said. “It was really good to go out there with my guys again. … When the incident happened, the first thing I was thinking about was the guys and coaches in this locker room and the entire staff. They did a really good job of rallying around me and making sure I stayed up. It was a huge blessing for me today.”

With a minute-and-a-half remaining in the first half, Purdy found Pearsall in the middle of the field for a six-yard gain, the first catch of Pearsall’s career. The crowd, understanding the significance of the moment, showered Pearsall with a standing ovation.

Pearsall, the 31st overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, ended up taking roughly 60 percent of the team’s offensive snaps. The 49ers initially planned to ease Pearsall into the offense, but that calculus changed due to injuries to Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel (illness).

San Francisco 49ers’ Ricky Pearsall (14) is tackled after a catch by Kansas City Chiefs’ Bryan Cook (6) in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

“We celebrated that almost all week with him because it was great to have him back,” said head coach Kyle Shanahan. “It was great to have him back.”

Added quarterback Brock Purdy: “Having him back for his first game was awesome, just seeing him back out there making cuts and plays. He’s a baller, too, so we’re really excited for him and for his growth and to bring him with us.”

Pearsall, who practiced earlier this week for the first time since the incident, said that the biggest hurdle that he had to clear to get back on the field was the recovery, pointing out that there was a lot of scar tissue buildup in the area he was shot. He added that there was an emotional hurdle to clear as well, especially in the first few days following the incident.

“I have a lot of good people around me,” Pearsall said. “I have a lot of good family members — strong foundation. A lot of good people in this locker room are part of this staff. This organization did a great job rallying around me and putting resources in my direction to use.”

While Pearsall didn’t have a pronounced role in San Francisco’s offense during his debut, the rookie may need to take on more responsibility in the coming weeks.

San Francisco 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk (11) lies on the field after being injured against the Kansas City Chiefs in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Shortly after the first catch of his career, Aiyuk suffered a potentially season-ending ACL injury when he was tackled by the Chiefs’ Chamarri Conner and Trent McDuffie, a brutal development for a team that has already dealt with a slew of injuries. Should Aiyuk, indeed, be out for the remainder of the year, Pearsall will be among the young wideouts called upon to take on a bigger role.

“He runs really good routes. He’s really fast. He’s explosive,” said tight end George Kittle of Pearsall. “I think one thing that they have similarly is a dog mindset. ‘Put it on me. Put it on my shoulders.’ It sucks. (Aiyuk) had a hell of a week at practice. He was making unreal catches left and right. He was just starting to hit his stride in the season after not doing training camp.

“The NFL is a land of opportunity,” Kittle said. “Injuries happen. Stuff happens. Shitty things happen. Whos’ going to step up? Who’s going to rise to the occasion and take advantage of the opportunity? That’s what the NFL is. We have a lot of young players. It’s on our vets to pull them along, whether they are ready or not.”