Jim Harbaugh spoke in the 49ers’ media tent Friday afternoon. Here’s a transcript.
Q: Can you fill us in on Aldon Smith’s status for Sunday?
HARBAUGH: The task today was to go and have a great practice. The time spent Sunday will be for us to go get a win, beat the Colts. We’ll make those decisions.
Q: Have you spoken to Aldon about the incident this morning?
HARBAUGH: Yes.
Q: Are you satisfied with what he had to say?
HARBAUGH: I’m disappointed and I felt like he needs to go to work, face his teammates and soldier through it.
Q: Will the team discipline him or is that a league matter?
HARBAUGH: That’s pretty exclusive to the league. Well, it is. They have exclusive rights to the consequences on there will be consequences. There always is, good or bad. We all have consequences.
Q: Last year Demcarcus Dobbs was in a similar incident and he didn’t make the trip with you guys to St. Louis. Why react to that situation that way and leave this one up in the air?
HARBAUGH: I’m not really leaving it up in the air. There is nothing really up in the air about it. Demarcus wasn’t here when we left last year for St. Louis.
Q: If Aldon doesn’t play who is likely to fill his place?
HARBAUGH: You know the guys we have on our team. Not to leave it up in the air. I expect Aldon, like today, he’ll be back to work and playing on Sunday.
Q: How do you as a coach try to convince players like Aldon to keep their head screwed on straight?
HARBAUGH: Those things, not going to address what our policy is as it relates right now. These two things, we’ll deal with it.
Q: How did he seem at practice today? Did he seem focused?
HARBAUGH: Yeah, he seemed like he had his wits about him.
Q: Just to be clear, did you say he would play on Sunday?
HARBAUGH: I anticipate that, yes.
Q: Is there anyone in the organization you advise to talk to players when they’re in a situation like this?
HARBAUGH: Yes, the organization does provide that. I’m not going to dissect it, exactly what the policies are and what the team has in place as it relates to his situation.
Q: You said you wanted him to get back to work. Was that his suggestion or your suggestion?
HARBAUGH: I encouraged it.
Q: Will Aldon address his teammates?
HARBAUGH: The conversations, what existed, what the details were, the specifics, we’re not publically sharing that right now.
Q: Did see if he was on his way to the facility when the incident happened?
HARBAUGH: Again and again, we’re not going into the specifics and the details.
Q: You said the league has exclusivity over this whether or not to suspend him. You’re not expecting them to hand out a suspension last-minute before the game? As far as you know he’s going to be cleared to play on Sunday and any possible suspension will come after?
HARBAUGH: I think it’s pretty clear what the policies are in the National Football League collective bargaining agreement. There is a process and we respect that.
Q: Doesn’t the team have discretion to its own discipline?
HARBAUGH: There is a process there. When it comes to suspensions and fining and discipline there is exclusivity of the league.
Q: What’s your reaction to Anthony Davis getting fined for his personal foul at the end of the Seahawks game?
HARBAUGH: Per league directions I’m not going to comment on that.
Q: Where does Eric Reid stand as far as going through the protocol?
HARBAUGH: He’s got to go through another test today. If that goes well, he’ll be cleared tomorrow.
Q: The contact test?
HARBAUGH: Yes.
Q: How were you contacted about this incident this morning?
HARBAUGH: I don’t think there’s anything more that’s relevant at this time that at least I feel is relevant and I don’t feel that is relevant.
Q: What is the status of Vernon Davis?
HARBAUGH: Still day-to-day.
Q: Aldon was on the injury report with a back injury this week. This the car accident aggravate it?
HARBAUGH: He practiced today.
Q: Fully?
HARBAUGH: I’ll let the trainers fill that out.
Q: Ray McDonald is back at practice. Do you anticipate he’ll be able to play?
HARBAUGH: Again, day-to-day. A game time decision there.
Q: What’s it like going up against Andrew Luck?
HARBAUGH: A big challenge. It’s the third week in a row we’ve face a top notch quarterback. Our guys know the challenge, the task at hand at that’s what the team is focusing on right now, the immediate task at hand which is have a great practice today and put ourselves in a position to win on Sunday.
Q: Would you term Vernon Davis a game time decision as well?
HARBAUGH: Yes.
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