Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

The most unique fine of the 2020 season is upon us, and it’s hitting the 49ers in embarrassing fashion. It’s another wrinkle to a horrible, bizarre week for San Francisco which saw their plane dented, forcing them to switch from SJC airport in San Jose to SFO in South San Francisco and delaying their arrival in New Jersey, followed by a rash of injuries, including ACL tears to Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas, and then a broken MRI truck, delaying those results.

Unlike Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who hilariously wore a fogged up face shield (proven as a less effective method of preventing the transmission of COVID-19 than masks) on opening night, head coach Kyle Shanahan has had his neck gaiter (also proven as an ineffective method of preventing the transmission of COVID-19 unless it has an additional layer tucked into it) around his neck during the first two weeks.

The result, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, is a substantial fine for Shanahan and the 49ers. Shanahan, who recently received an extension, was fined $100,000, along with Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio. The respective teams—49ers, Seahawks and Broncos—each saw fines of $250,000.

Let’s hope that money is not simply being pocketed by the NFL, but put into worthwhile causes (we can dream, can’t we?).

NFL fined three head coaches – – Denver’s Vic Fangio, Seattle’s Pete Carroll and SF’s Kyle Shanahan – $100,000 each for not wearing masks Sunday, and each of their teams another $250,000, sources told ESPN.

So that’s $1.05 million dollars in fines for not wearing masks.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 22, 2020