49ers HC Kyle Shanahan gets real on prepping for Rams without Aaron Donald

Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers hit the practice field on Wednesday to start preparations for the Los Angeles Rams, who will be missing the now retired Aaron Donald.

For the first time in over a decade, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan admitted it felt strange not having to strategize against Donald.

“It’s definitely a little different,” said the 49ers head coach. “That’s been 99 percent of our brain power for a number of years and it’s just weird not thinking that way.”

In previous seasons, San Francisco would dedicate a significant portion of its game plan to devising strategies to contain or neutralize All-Pro nose tackle Aaron Donald, making it a central focus of their practices.

A different gameplan for the 49ers against the Donald-less Rams

With Donald now retired and enjoying life away from the NFL, the 49ers no longer face the disruption he caused on the field. San Francisco center Jake Brendel, for one, is certainly not lamenting his absence.

“I think all the offensive linemen across the league rejoiced a little bit when we saw the news break that he was retiring,” Brendel while addressing the media on Wednesday.

Brendel, the 49ers’ starting center since 2022, had notable success against Donald, unlike many other offensive linemen. In their three regular-season matchups—Donald missed the 2023 finale—Brendel held his own in both run blocking and pass protection. Donald failed to record a sack in any of those games and managed just two quarterback hits.

“He’s a great player, and they could do a lot with him and they obviously did a lot with him. Not having to worry about that guy, I wouldn’t say it really changes much schematically for us,” he continued.

A three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and 10-time Pro Bowl honoree, Donald retired at the end of the 2023 season, concluding a distinguished career that solidified his reputation as one of the league’s most formidable defenders.

Aaron Donald excelled against nearly every team he faced, with some of his standout performances coming against the 49ers. Over 18 games against San Francisco, Donald recorded 12.5 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and 33 quarterback hits—the third-highest total against any team in his NFL career.

With Donald out of the equation, the Rams have had to adjust their defensive strategy, though the core principles of their schemes remain largely unchanged.

The 49ers missing the services of Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey

The team appeared focused and determined as they regrouped from a tough 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, but both Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey were absent from practice.

For 50 games, including the postseason, coach Kyle Shanahan has crafted a game plan that always involved Samuel of McCaffrey.

The 49ers aren’t without options, even with their absences. Jordan Mason, stepping up as the lead back until McCaffrey’s return on October 10 or later, ranks second in the NFL with 247 rushing yards, just behind J.K. Dobbins of the Los Angeles Chargers. At the same time, quarterback Brock Purdy tops the NFL with 550 passing yards.

McCaffrey missed the first two games and will stay on injured reserve with Achilles tendinitis until he fully recovers. Shanahan initially estimated Samuel’s recovery from a calf strain would take about two weeks.

Shanahan will feel the impact of their absences while crafting the game plan. The versatility of both players—McCaffrey playing in the backfield, slot, and as a wideout, and Samuel taking snaps as a running back—posed a significant dilemma for opposing defenses.