Postgame Fireworks at Levi’s Stadium: Mike McCoy Cites Turf and Noise After Titans’ Defeat to 49ers
In a charged atmosphere at Levi’s Stadium, Titans interim head coach Mike McCoy attributed his team’s painful 37-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers to the challenging turf conditions and overwhelming crowd noise, factors that amplified a difficult afternoon for the struggling visitors.
The “painful loss” captured the essence of Tennessee’s struggle—the Titans, holding a slim 2-12 record, fell behind early as Brock Purdy dissected their secondary for three touchdowns, while San Francisco’s offense scored on its first five possessions in a dominant display.
McCoy, steering the ship on an interim basis amid a rebuilding season, pointed postgame to Levi’s notoriously tricky playing surface that led to slips and disrupted timing, compounded by the raucous Faithful crowd that drowned out signals and forced communication breakdowns.
Tension escalated during the traditional handshake line when 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan delivered a “sharp response,” calmly dismantling McCoy’s explanations by emphasizing execution over excuses, reminding that his team navigated the same field and noise to perfection.
Shanahan’s pointed words highlighted San Francisco’s precision—Purdy’s efficient 23-of-30 passing and a balanced attack that piled up points—turning McCoy’s grievances into a spotlight on Tennessee’s deeper execution issues and inability to match intensity.
Captured on sideline microphones, the exchange grew terse, with Shanahan’s unflinching retort leaving McCoy visibly stunned and forcing the interim coach to walk away “embarrassed,” head lowered as cameras zoomed in on the awkward moment.
This dramatic confrontation injected extra intensity into a lopsided contest, underscoring the NFL’s unforgiving nature where external factors pale against superior preparation, especially painful for a Titans squad eyeing high draft positioning.
As Tennessee heads home licking wounds from another defeat, Shanahan’s composed takedown reinforced the 49ers’ playoff momentum, sending a veteran coach retreating in discomfort and etching another chapter in postgame lore.
