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Kyle Shanahan, Brock Purdy explain those bizarre fourth-and-1 calls against the Broncos

The San Francisco 49ers’ 24-14 win over the Denver Broncos on October 4, 2026, included two baffling fourth-down plays that left fans questioning the play-calling. In the first half, on fourth-and-1 from deep in their own territory, the 49ers attempted a quarterback sneak—a play typically reserved for shorter fourth-and-1 situations.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged the unusual length of the down, noting the team’s standard look failed to gain the necessary yardage, despite the defense’s effort. Shanahan later downplayed the misstep, citing occasional success on similar plays, though the Broncos’ stout defense made the outcome predictable.

The second fourth-down call at the Broncos’ 18-yard line ended in a bizarre but fortuitous outcome. A botched snap sent the ball bouncing off center Jake Brendel’s butt before quarterback Brock Purdy lunged for it, only for Broncos running back Kaelon Black to intercept the loose ball and dive for a 1-yard touchdown.

Purdy confirmed the play was intended as a handoff to Black, not a direct snap, though the execution left doubts about whether the call was intentional. Shanahan attributed the play’s success to Black’s instincts, though the sequence remains one of the more unusual first downs in recent memory.

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