From fan to foe: Kyle Shanahan, 49ers face unique challenge against Browns and Shedeur Sanders

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Deion Sanders was Kyle Shanahan’s favorite player when his father, Mike Shanahan, was the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive coordinator during their 1994 Super Bowl season.

On Sunday, Shanahan will table his adoration of the Pro Football Hall of Famer for a couple of hours as he looks to stop his son, Shedeur Sanders, who will make his second NFL start on Sunday when the Cleveland Browns host the 49ers.

“He was probably my number one player as a true fan,” Shanahan said about Deion Sanders. “I always talk about how I got his jersey in ’94. I wore it for about six months straight until someone jacked it from me. I’m still looking for that guy. He was just different from everyone, his talent and everything. My wife and daughter are huge Colorado fans, too. So, I hear about Buffaloes all the time.”

Coach Prime’s Colorado squad closes its season at Kansas State on Saturday. He traveled to Las Vegas last Sunday to watch his son’s first NFL start, but Shedeur Sanders remains unsure if his father will attend his first home start in the Dawg Pound.

A win over the 49ers would make Sanders the first Browns rookie QB to be unbeaten in his first two starts. He became the first Browns rookie QB since 1995 to win his first start. Last week, he completed 11 of 20 passes for 209 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The Browns (3-8) defeated the Raiders 24-10 to snap a three-game losing streak.

Shanahan said he was impressed with Sanders’ ability to scramble out of the pocket and extend plays. Sanders showed that early last week with a 52-yard completion to Isaiah Bond to set up the Browns’ first touchdown.

Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said one of his biggest concerns is containing running back Quinshon Judkins, who leads NFL rookies with 667 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.

“They’ve got a style. They’ll evolve as an offense. I wish I could tell you exactly what it’s going to be,” Saleh said. “I’m sure they’ll keep adding little wrinkles to help Sanders grow as a football player. We’ll have to be great in those moments and play sound, fundamental football.”

Even though San Francisco (8-4) is last in the league with 13 sacks, it has had four interceptions in the past two games. Sanders has been picked off twice in his six quarters under center.

“They’re great in coverage and have great disguises overall, so getting pressure on the quarterback isn’t their only strength,” Sanders said. “We know they’re going to have something different cooking for us.”

Garrett’s run

NFL sack leader Myles Garrett needs two sacks to become the 13th player and first since Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt in 2021 with at least 20 in a season.

Garrett leads the league with 18 sacks and 26 tackles for loss. He had three sacks against Las Vegas last week and 14 in his last five games. Reggie White has the mark for most sacks through 12 games with 21 in 1987 with Philadelphia.

“That get-off’s amazing,” coach Kyle Shanahan said about Garrett. “When you put that with amazing ability, that to me comes around generationally. And then you got a guy who’s played in a similar system for a while, who has stayed healthy, who’s doing it over and over again, and trying to be great. When you have all that, how can you not be what he is? So, it’s been extremely impressive.”

Preparing for snow

The 49ers are preparing for inclement weather with the forecast calling for a chance of snow or rain. Coach Kyle Shanahan showed the team a video of a game last year in Cleveland that was played in the snow as preparation for what they might see.

“I’d be surprised if it’s not that way,” he said. “You expect it to be that way, so you get your mind right, and you don’t walk out Sunday and be shocked by anything besides that. We’ll work enough to sweat and make the balls wet that way, but we’re not going to water them down or anything.”

Purdy struggled in that game, completing 12 of 27, and has had problems playing in wet conditions. He won’t wear a glove but knows he needs to be careful dealing with a wet ball.

“It does change the mindset of taking care of the ball,” he said. “But, at the same time, you do have to drop back, you’ve got to throw it on time. And if it’s not there in time, let’s be smart with the ball.”

Workhorse McCaffrey

San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey is carrying a heavy load this season, leading the league with 217 carries as well as 81 catches. McCaffrey has been productive with a league-leading 1,581 yards from scrimmage. He is just the third player ever with at least 750 yards rushing and receiving in the first 12 games and is on pace for his second season with at least 1,000 of each. Only two other players have done that even once, with Roger Craig doing it in 1985 and Marshall Faulk in 1999.

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Pro Football writer Josh Dubow in Santa Clara, California, contributed to this story.

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