Kyle Shanahan Heavily Praises This 49ers Week 7 Standout Performer

Kyle Shanahan went on and on with praise for this 49ers player being able to step up against the Falcons.

Oct 19, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Defeating the Atlanta Falcons required several depth players on the San Francisco 49ers to step up.

Tatum Bethune, who filled in for Fred Warner, is the most notable. However, there is another player who stepped up and wasn’t far off from the impact Bethune made.

That player is cornerback Chase Lucas. The preseason hero got his first real dosage of action against the Falcons. And boy, did he not waste it. He picked up right where he left off in preseason — balling out.

Lucas’ performance didn’t go unnoticed by Kyle Shanahan. In fact, he couldn’t say enough praise about his performance and the player Lucas at his press conference on Wednesday. 

Kyle Shanahan heavily praises Chase Lucas

Sep 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chase Lucas (26) after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

“Chase works his butt off. You guys see his energy with how much he talks. But, that's how he is all the time. I mean, he's so involved with everything,” Shanahan said. “He just, he can't stay still in a good way. He's always talking about each play. He is so attentive, he's running around and he's always banking reps even when he is not in.

“I think when Chase gets out there, it's just his awareness, how fast he can recognize things. The motions and stuff. He doesn't hesitate on what he does. There's zero hesitation. He shoots his guns, plays fast and I think that's what gives him an advantage.”

Lucas could've easily struggled against the Falcons after being on ice for so long. He was only in the game due to Upton Stout being inactive, and he made the most of it.

Aug 23, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chase Lucas (26) dances as he walks off the field after the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

It’s insane to see how many solid performances the 49ers are getting out of their depth players. This is a significant reason why the losses of Nick Bosa and Warner haven’t fully derailed them. The quality of their depth is impressive.

The 49ers coaches deserve credit for that. They put these players in a position to succeed and challenged them before the regular season to improve. That’s why Lucas is an interchangeable player for them in the secondary.

“We like him inside. We also like him at safety,” said Shanahan. “But, that's why we played him outside for a game in the preseason to make sure he could do that. Chase can do it all.”

All of that has generated a skillful and extremely confident player. If the 49ers ever need Lucas to fill in again or start, they will feel at ease with him out there. 

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