Kyle Shanahan Content With Coaching 49ers Over Broncos

For Kyle Shanahan, taking the coaching reins of the San Francisco 49ers is something he will never regret. In 2017, he did have the chance to follow his dad Mike and coach the Denver Broncos. And while he did not get the position, the 38-year-old coach is pretty much fine with it.

The journey down to memory lane was revisited with the 49ers set to face the Broncos on Dec. 12. Mike Shanahan served as the head coach of the Broncos from 1995—2008, going 138-86 in the regular season, 8-5 in seven postseason appearances and winning two Super Bowls, Pro Football Talk said.

It would have been a homecoming of sorts for Kyle whose dad remains in the Denver area. It is a place that he and his wife Mandy call home to this day.

The younger Shanahan, however, knew that his four-hour interview back in 2017 with the Broncos was a long shot. Although he was one of the most sought-after coaches at the time, Kyle ended up being the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. The Broncos ended up with Vance Joseph.

While he carved a name as one of the best offensive coordinators in the NFL, Shanahan has yet to prove he is head coaching material. So far, he is only 8-20 in San Francisco, although he is just in the second year of his contract alongside general manager John Lynch. He is under contract for six years, according to Matt Maiocco of the CSN Bay Area.

Although he never mentioned it, it may be Kyle Shanahan’s way of trying to carve a name for himself in the NFL. From a woeful 2-14 win-loss record in 2016, he was able to improve the team’s performance with a 6-10 card the following year.

At present, the 49ers are 2-10 in the National Football Conference, although the current season has not been particularly kind. Shanahan’s season even got worse with the injury of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (torn ACL) back in Week 3.

The Broncos are unsurprising favorites against the 49ers in Week 14. Philip Lindsay and the Broncos are expected to give the San Francisco defense a long night as they make their run for an NFL playoff seat.

All eyes will be on Lindsay, who leads all qualifying ball carriers with 6.1 yards per attempt. Already with 937 rush yards to his credit, the undrafted free agent is expected to pass the 1,000-yard plateau this Sunday, Niner Noise reported.

It may not look pretty for Shanahan at the moment, but he reiterated that turning things around for the 49ers will take time. While he did show progress last season, he needs to find the right mix to improve on previous season milestones.