Brian Hoyer, Kyle Shanahan had nothing to say about late-game OPI call

The 49ers got hit with a late-game offensive pass interference call that looked questionable at best. It halted a thrilling comeback effort that could very well have ended in San Francisco’s first win of the season. But Kyle Shanahan, Brian Hoyer, and the receiver on the play, Trent Taylor, didn’t have much to say about it.

The Niners had a third-and-10 from the 50-yard line. Hoyer completed an 11-yard pass to Taylor, but it was negated by an offensive pass interference call. There’s only one angle of the play available, and it doesn’t look like offensive interference:

“I ran the route the way it was called, the way I always run it,” Taylor said, via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports California. “Felt good about it. And it was a great play call. But the ref’s decision on that is nothing I can comment on.”

Shanahan said he didn’t even see the play except in real time.

“I didn’t see it,” Shanahan said. “They didn’t show it up on the screen, so I never saw it.”

Hoyer said slightly more about the refs’ impact on the game, but not much.

“I don’t see it because I’m throwing into a spot,” Hoyer said. “In that time of the game, I would think you would let people play. But I haven’t seen it. I have to go and watch the film.”

And he also took responsibility.

“You know what, you don’t want to leave it up to the refs’ hands anyways,” Hoyer said. “You hope you make a few plays earlier in the game to change the outcome. If it comes down to that, then that’s what it is. That’s what the guy’s job is to do.”

Hoyer also made one thing abundantly clear.

“I don’t want to get fined,” he said.

The NFL’s policy manual does confirm that players and coaches can be fined for calling out officials’ mistakes.

“Please note that public criticism by players or club employees of game officials or officiating is prohibited and is subject to fines and/or suspensions,” it reads.

So the 49ers were wise to let it go, even though the call cost the team dearly.