Getty Elijah Mitchell powers through the goal line during the 49ers' road loss to Seattle on Sunday, December 5.
San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell was forced to leave the Seattle Seahawks game at the 58 second mark of the third quarter on Sunday, December 5, by force of a right forearm.
The rookie sixth rounder was looking to power through the 1-yard needed to keep the 49ers’ drive alive on third down — but stayed down after the play while the ‘Hawks celebrated getting his loose football.
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Why? Darrell Taylor forced the ball to fall out…but the takeaway came with a forearm to Mitchell’s head captured below:
@CinemaPigeon @charless_94 This one too…..yet then they call it on niners series or two later
On Wednesday, three days after the play and the 30-23 defeat to the ‘Hawks, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked the inquiring, burning question from the Bay Area media: Was it a cheap shot delivered to his running back?
Shanahan’s Answer
Shanahan saw the play and replays himself. He first stated how plays that constitute a dirty look get a written report with clips attached that gets turned into the league office.
But Shanahan then gave his own definition of what a dirty hit is…plus his answer to the blow Mitchell took.
“Dirty to me usually intends that someone had intent to hurt someone on it,” Shanahan said. “So that’s why I don’t really call it that way.”
As a coach who has shown he prefers to run the ball, Shanahan is well aware physical tactics occur along the trenches which sometimes leads to questionable hits. Especially when teams have a short yardage situation on third downs.
“I think it’s third-and-one and every inch matters and guys are going hard,” Shanahan said. “And a guy came around from the side and Elijah was in a vulnerable position and the guy hit him in a tough spot. That’s why I wouldn’t say that’s dirty on the guy because I don’t think he’s trying to do that. He’s just trying everything he can to stop the guy and you wish that stuff could get seen and you wish it could get called. I also know how fast it is to see things in the heat of battle too for everybody.”
Aftermath of Mitchell hit
Mitchell followed NFL procedure by going under the tent and get evaluated for a concussion. Miraculously, he was still good to go and returned to the field on the next 49ers’ offensive possession.
“Yeah, he got knocked down, got hit pretty hard,” Shanahan said. “I don’t think there is any fool proof for that stuff. I think that’s what’s so tough about it. I think that’s why they go through three doctors to get back. They have to go through independent doctors and they didn’t think he had concussion symptoms at the time.”
But then came Monday.
“I know the next day he did have a headache, which with that hit, combined with a headache, you definitely think a concussion,” Shanahan said. “You come in the next day with a headache, anything like that, you’re going to go in that protocol, as you should, and take some time to get out of that.”
Mitchell got placed in the league’s concussion protocol. And, along with irritation on his knee, his playing status is currently questionable versus the Cincinnati Bengals.
The 49ers are already depleted enough in the backfield: JaMycal Hasty is currently the lone healthy back and the team went ahead and added Brian Hill to the practice squad — who could get elevated to the 53-man roster against his former team given the state of the RB room.
#49ers newest RB Brian Hill 👀