The 49ers dial up a hook-and-ladder play to open scoring against the Cardinals

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers went deep in the playbook to open up the scoring against the Arizona Cardinals.

Coach Kyle Shanahan dialed up a hook-and-ladder call on San Francisco's third play from scrimmage Sunday to turn a precarious third-and-12 from deep in 49ers territory into an 82-yard score.

“I’ve done that play a number of times, so I don’t think it’s that big of a trick play,” Shanahan said after the 49ers' 36-30 win over Arizona. “Guys around the league do it a lot. It sounds real crazy, but it was just the right time."

Brock Purdy threw a quick 6-yard pass to Mike Evans, who flipped it back 4 yards to a sprinting Deebo Samuel as he was being tackled well short of the first down. Samuel then sprinted down the sideline, ran through a tackle attempt near midfield from Budda Baker and scored to make it 7-0.

“It was crazy because we walked through that play like once this week,” Samuel said. “It’s kind of crazy. Once I saw Mike catch the ball and there was two guys on him, I was like if I get around here, there won’t be anybody. Budda showed up and I showed the speed that people don’t think I got.”

The scoring on the play is unusual with Evans getting credit for a 2-yard catch and Samuel getting credit for 80 yards receiving and a TD reception without catching a pass. Purdy gets credit for the entire play 82-yard pass play and touchdown.

“Obviously, great play call in that moment, especially early in the game. Kyle does some really cool things where he draws up certain plays in third-and-longs or second-and-longs and stuff,” Purdy said. “We had the right look. ... Mike did a good job sort of taking the hit and then delivering it to the Deebo. For Deebo to just go and take off, that’s what he does best. He’s a playmaker,. It was just a great play call, and then I thought we executed it really well.”

The 80 yards receiving on a touchdown without being credited with a catch are the most on any play since at least 2000. The previous high was 52 yards for Kenyan Drake on a game-ending touchdown for Miami to beat New England on Dec. 9, 2018. On that play, Ryan Tannehill threw a 14-yard pass to Kenny Stills, who lateraled to DeVante Parker. Parker ran 3 yards before flipping it to Drake, who ran the rest of the way for the score that gave the Dolphins a 34-33 win.

Samuel finished the game with zero catches for 80 yards and the score to go along with two runs for 11 yards. It was the most yards in a game for a player without a catch, breaking the previous mark of 65 by Timmy Brown for Philadelphia against Pittsburgh on Dec. 3, 1961.