The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Miami Dolphins 33-17 in the Week 13 matchup at Levi's® Stadium. Here's what the teams had to say following the contest:
Niners Liners
Head coach Kyle Shanahan on hearing the severity of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's injury:
"It was pretty crushing. We know what Jimmy's been through, how hard he's worked at this... But that was a really cool game just as a team. All of the stuff that went on throughout the game and just being able to overcome some things. It was such a special win. Definitely mixed emotions about Jimmy."
Shanahan on backup quarterback Brock Purdy stepping into the game:
"Hell of a job by Brock, coming in stepping it up. He did a real good job today and we're going to be ready to do our best to overcome this."
Shanahan on the team stepping up their game after Garoppolo's injury:
"We need everybody. Today, we needed a good defense, we needed a good run game, we needed guys to step it up at wideout and tight end. We needed our quarterback to come and do his job. All those guys did that at a pretty high level today. Special teams as well. I thought Robbie Gould had one of his best games of the year, if not, the best, with his kickoffs and field goals. When you play like that as a team, you can beat a pretty good team like Miami... That's what we've got to look at. We've got to make sure to step it up in all these areas."
Shanahan on the team bouncing back after difficulties:
"We've got a resilient group. That's what I loved about today so much. Just the first play of the game for the defense, a big 80-plus yard touchdown. They didn't waver, they didn't hesitate, you could tell it didn't phase them. Then, losing our quarterback on the second series in the first quarter there, that was a big deal, but you don't feel any difference in guys on the sideline. We had a strong team, guys who love football. We've got to make sure to really ride that high the rest of the year and hope it can keep making us better."
Quarterback Brock Purdy on his mindset stepping into the game:
"Every single week I act like I'm the starter, I've got to prepare like I'm the starter."
Purdy on being in a starting position after being drafted as "Mr. Irrelevant":
"That's just where I fell in the draft. I'm very thankful that I got drafted, but I've always had confidence and belief in myself that I could play at this level... To get in, play and start next week, it's something I've always looked forward to. I've honestly told myself that it's going to happen, so, here we are."
Linebacker Fred Warner on his confidence in Purdy:
"If you ask anybody how I feel about Brock Purdy, I have the most respect and confidence in him because I see him every single day on the scout team. The way that he comes out, prepares and competes, the confidence he has, the swag he has, I've got all the confidence in the world in Purdy. It's a lot to ask a rookie, obviously being thrust in the position he's in. At the same time, he doesn't have to do too much. He has so many weapons on that side to just get the ball to and his job is just to protect the football. We have a really good offense, he's in the best position possible."
Warner on Bosa's performance against the Dolphins:
"Everybody in here knows, he's just elite. He's the best. He put the stamp on it today. That's what you need from your best players, to make plays where it matters the most. I'm so happy for him and I'm so proud of him. The way that he works, day in and day out, to have a performance and do that against a playoff-caliber team – big time."
Fullback Kyle Juszczyk on a backup quarterback stepping into the offense:
"When you lose your starting quarterback, it puts more of a load on everybody. We all need to step it up more to pick him up in that area. I think we've got the guys to do it. I think we've got a lot of really, really talented people in our huddle and I think we're ready for that challenge."
Running back Christian McCaffrey on rookie running back Jordan Mason's performance against Miami:
"He runs so hard. He can run any run. He's a great spark for us. Obviously, he's an incredible special teams player which doesn't go unnoticed, we need guys like that. For him to come in and run the ball the way he's run it, it's exciting."
McCaffrey on Purdy's performance in Week 13:
"He did an unbelievable job. That's not an easy defense to go against as a rookie quarterback, coming in when you weren't the starter... They bring a lot of zero, they bring a lot of blitz. To operate and manage it at the level that he did is extremely impressive."
Defensive lineman Nick Bosa on what he's seen from Purdy during practices:
"He looked like he had some dog in him. I love his mindset, he's super tough. He's not afraid to make mistakes. He gets playmakers the ballball. He's our guy now, we've got to roll."
Bosa on the team stepping up after Garoppolo's injury:
"Whenever you lose somebody, offense or defense, you have to step it up. I think we have the defense that can do that."
Dolphins Quotes
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel on playing against the 49ers:
"They do a good job. When you're playing one of the best units in football on either side – when you have opportunities, you have to take advantage of them... When you're playing a group like that, that's playing at such a high level, you can't miss opportunities."
McDaniel on the 49ers defense:
"That was an outstanding job by the 49ers defense and the team, collectively, they brought it. That team has some playoff experience for sure and they're hungry to go rectify some stuff from the past."
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on what went wrong for Miami:
"It sucks that we didn't come out and say what we wanted to do collectively as a team. Obviously, it starts with me, turnovers, with third downs, communication errors. In that retrospect, it's hard to win a game when you're not on your P's and Q's and you're not dialed in."
Tagovailoa on the 49ers defense:
"We knew what we were playing against. A really good front. You look at the linebackers that they have, they're very intuitive. Their safeties, who they try to mix in their coverages of making things look the same. Not easy being in the back there, having that kind of pressure and trying to read it at the same time. They had a great game plan for us."
Tagovailoa on Purdy's performance:
"I thought he did a tremendous job. Being a rookie, it's hard in this league, to do what he's been asked to do... The poise that he had doing what was asked of him with action fakes, his drop back game, I think he did a great job."
Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert on if the 49ers defense surprised him:
"No, not really. I think the biggest thing for us was we weren't detailed enough. I know specifically me, I left some stuff out there that I knew I could have made a play... I wish I could take that stuff back."
