49ers' Kyle Shanahan reveals unexpected reason why he called hook-and-lateral against Cardinals
49ers Webzone • • sports
Key Points:
- San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan called the hook-and-lateral play against the Arizona Cardinals out of frustration after a false start and two unsuccessful plays put the team in a tough third-and-13 situation.
- The play resulted in a memorable 80-yard touchdown by Deebo Samuel, who received a lateral from Mike Evans after Evans caught the initial pass.
- Shanahan explained the hook-and-lateral is rarely practiced at full speed and is more of a "screw-it" play used when the team is in a bad situation rather than a carefully planned strategic move.
- The 49ers keep the play in their playbook as a contingency, reviewing it during walkthroughs but not frequently using it, relying on having the right players to execute it successfully.
- Shanahan emphasized that most trick plays are designed to exploit specific defensive tendencies, but the hook-and-lateral is an exception, often called spontaneously when the team needs a big play.
