© Stan Szeto | 2021 Jun 6
Some takes are so bad they threaten your credibility.
A tweet by Pro Football Focus on Wednesday can probably be put in that category. The football analytics site posted a graphic with one of their writer’s rankings of the top six play callers in the NFL. Bizarrely, Kyle Shanahan didn’t make the list.
The top offensive play callers in the NFL, per @PFF_Eric
Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/ZBI5DrqhDb
— PFF (@PFF) June 9, 2021
Here’s where we could drill into the numbers and try and make an objective case as to why it’s absurd that Shanahan isn’t included. We could point to the fact that the 49ers actually averaged more yards per play last season than the Panthers despite not having a starting caliber quarterback and nearly half of their offensive weapons injured for a majority of the season. Or the fact that the 49ers were the fourth ranked offense in the NFL when healthy in 2019. Or the fact that Shanahan’s offense with the Falcons in 2016 was the best in the NFL, and saw Matt Ryan putting up numbers he hasn’t sniffed since Shanahan left.
But that’s all really besides the point. Anybody who watches football consistently knows that Shanahan is one of the most creative an innovative play callers in the game, and has improved upon his father’s zone rushing scheme that is so effective, it almost doesn’t matter who the ball carrier is.
Ironically, LaFluer was mentored by Shanahan, following him from Houston to Washington and then to Atlanta, and uses many of his concepts with the Green Bay Packers. Maybe if Trey Lance ends up being as good as Aaron Rodgers, Shanahan can get a spot on this list next season.