Why Vikings Running Back Jones Reminds Shanahan of CMC originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Programming Note: Watch Kyle Shanahan’s full “49ers Game Plan” interview with Greg Papa on NBC Sports Bay Area immediately following “Giants Postgame Live” Friday night.
Veteran Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings running back is greatly admired by 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan.
Shanahan has seen Jones shine during his eight-year NFL career and the two have had their fair share of duels when the running back has been with the Green Bay Packers.
San FranciscoMatch of the week 2 with Minnesota at US Bank Stadium Shanahan has focused on shutting down Jones. However, the coach gave the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl selection his flowers on the latest episode of NBC Sports Bay Area’s “Game Plan” with Greg Papa.
“Aaron, of all people, is the guy I probably compare myself to Christian (McCaffrey) “He’s the most dangerous,” Shanahan told Papa. “He’s a big threat in the passing game. He’s a tough guy to cover. He’s got good hands. He’s a good route runner. But when it comes to his running style, he’s very natural, he always hits the right hole, he’s got great vision. But you have to tackle him. There’s no… you’re on him and he sees other people coming at him and he goes down. He runs through everything.”
“And if you don’t have a couple of guys hitting him hard, he’s going to break through those things and bounce back. He’s a guy that’s there all day (and) can do anything – someone you better be in shape against and never fall asleep against. Because if you come in for a soft tackle, he doesn’t let you tackle him; he tries to break through him every time.”
Calling the Minnesota star one of McCaffrey’s closest comparisons is a real compliment. The San Francisco star is the reigning AP NFL rushing champion Offensive Player of the Year and totaled 10,505 career scrimmage yards.
But Shanahan, more than most coaches, knows what Jones is capable of. Shanahan has faced Jones seven times — yes, seven — times, including in the playoffs, since the running back entered the league in 2017 with the Packers.
Jones has rushed for 6,034 yards and 2,091 yards in the air in his career so far. He’s still going strong, having rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries in the Vikings’ 28-6 Week 1 win over the Vikings. New York Giants.
Sunday morning will be a tough challenge for the 49ers, and Shanahan knows Jones’ offensive prowess is a big reason why.
Shanahan needs to put his fandom on pause like he did in week 1 with his close friend and New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh.
