49ers’ Kyle Shanahan reveals unexpected reason why he called hook-and-lateral against Cardinals

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that frustration prompted his decision to call a hook-and-lateral play against the Arizona Cardinals. Facing a third-and-13 on the opening possession after a false start and two failed plays, Shanahan decided against a conservative approach. The trick play resulted in Mike Evans catching a pass and pitching the ball to Deebo Samuel, who scored an 80-yard touchdown.

Shanahan explained to NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco that the hook-and-lateral is not extensively practiced beyond Saturday walkthroughs. He described it as a situational play used when facing difficult circumstances rather than an exploit of a specific defensive look. San Francisco previously utilized the design last season with Ricky Pearsall lateraling to Christian McCaffrey.