Kyle Shanahan Threw 49ers RB Jordan Mason To The Wolves With Postgame Comment To Media

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Third-year San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason had the performance of his career against the New York Jets on Monday night, but head coach Kyle Shanahan may have just spoiled the fun.

After the game, Mason told ESPN’s broadcast that he learned he would start in place of injured superstar Christian McCaffrey on Friday. But McCaffrey was listed as “questionable” on the injury report, meaning that the 49ers would have violated the NFL’s injury reporting rules.

Shanahan then had a chance to cover for Mason by making up some story about things getting lost in translation. Instead, he told the reporters that what Mason said was flat-out untrue.

Kyle Shanahan Refused To Cover For Running Back Jordan Mason After Slip Up

Mason later met with reporters, who naturally followed up on the saga. They asked Mason when he learned he was starting.

The Georgia Tech grad was visibly shaken and claimed that this is why he didn’t like talking to the media.

“That question right there is why I’m mad,” Mason said. “That’s why I don’t really like talking to media. Because you say one thing wrong and then, you know…”

Mason more than likely learned he was starting before the Niners made it public. He probably should not have said anything about it to ESPN. But the San Francisco communications team has to do a much better job of getting him prepared for this type of thing.

And Shanahan needs to find a better way to take a bullet for his guy. The entire organization seemed to leave Mason, who should have been celebrating one of the best nights of his life, out to dry.

Mason carried the ball a career-high 28 times for 147 yards and a touchdown. But all anybody is talking about now is his postgame comments. And this all could have been easily avoided.