Coach Kyle Shanahan is not sure what 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy saw on his game-winning touchdown pass to tight end Jake Tonges against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at Lumen Field.
“No one was open, and I didn’t think Jake was. But for some reason, Brock did,” Shanahan explained to reporters in a conference call Monday.
The analytics agree with Shanahan that it was an improbable completion. The game-winning score had a 14.7 percent completion probability per NFL Next Gen Stats.
“When he threw it, at the end of it, he proved to us that Jake was open because he made a hell of a play stepping in front of Tariq [Woolen] like that and it was a big time catch,” Shanahan described.
Tonges, who had the game-winning reception, made his first and second career receptions earlier in the drive. His third career reception gave San Francisco the 17-13 lead and eventual win over Seattle.
“I think Brock just ended up getting confidence in him very quickly as the drive went,” Shanahan said.
Tonges suited up in 16 games for the 49ers last season, but was on the field for just 34 snaps all of 2024. With Kittle’s hamstring injury keeping the star tight end out for multiple weeks, Tonges likely will see much more action in the near future.
“The biggest thing that stands out is his hands. I mean, he’s got really great hands as you could see on that last play. He’s got athletic ability. Then when you tie athletic ability with someone’s hands and size, he’s got the tools to be good in the pass game,” Shanahan said about the third-year tight end. “I know yesterday was his first day kind of sticking out to anyone, and hopefully he’ll continue to get better from that and put together a good career here.”
The 49ers will travel to New Orleans to play the Saints for their Week 2 matchup.
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