49ers HC Shanahan Jokes Dre Greenlaw Can Play Offense After Trying to Run Back INT

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There were “about three seconds” where San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said he didn’t love linebacker Dre Greenlaw during his game-winning interception Saturday.

Those seconds likely came right around the Packers’ 40-yard line, where receiver Jayden Reed almost knocked the ball loose from Greenlaw.

“We’ll put him on offense if he really wants to run with the ball that bad,” Shanahan said. “He could definitely get down a lot sooner.”

Greenlaw managed to keep the ball as he went down to seal the 24-21 divisional round victory.

The linebacker later joked that he was aiming for a pick six on the play.

Greenlaw was initially listed as questionable heading into the game due to a Achilles tendonitis he has dealt with since Week 17.

“He’s been battling here for these two weeks, trying to get back and get healthy for the game,” Shanahan said. “He inspires the heck out of all of us, the way he runs, the way he hits, for him to make those plays.”

But that doesn’t mean Shanahan wasn’t one of the members of the 49ers sidelines yelling for Greenlaw to go down after he picked off the fourth-quarter tipped pass from Packers quarterback Jordan Love.

Despite the scare he gave his teammates, Greenlaw finished the outing with eight tackles, including one for loss, as well as two passes defensed to help the 49ers advance to the conference championships.