Kyle Shanahan’s Near-Fatal Accident

Kyle Shanahan, the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, came dangerously close to losing an eye in a serious car accident earlier this month, as shared by his close friend Chris Sims.

Sims, a former NFL quarterback, discussed on PFT Live that Shanahan’s wife forwarded him photos taken shortly after the incident on July 14, which revealed just how close the coach was to severe injury.

“At first glance, the cuts were fresh and gaping, and honestly, it was pretty uncomfortable to look at,” Sims remarked. “It wasn’t pleasant at all.”

“He nearly lost his right eye,” Sims added, highlighting the severity of the wounds. Shanahan’s vehicle collided with another on a road near his Palo Alto home at around 6 p.m. The 46-year-old sustained a concussion, along with multiple fractures, including a broken hand, nose, and ribs.

According to Sims, the injury was so extensive that Utah stitches were required on Shanahan’s face to close the wounds. “The wound on his forehead was substantial,” he noted, emphasizing the shock of the situation.

While details of the accident remain sparse, it’s known that the other driver involved was a woman.

“He was visibly shaken, as he understood how close he was to a total disaster,” Sims reflected. “He felt quite troubled about the woman who was in the car with him, wanting to know how she was coping. There was really a lot for him to digest.” Sims also mentioned that Shanahan is in the process of recovering but the concussion is proving to be a challenge for the coach.

“He’s still grappling with it,” Sims said.

Shanahan appeared at 49ers practice recently; however, he hid his face underneath a baseball cap and sunglasses. Team general manager John Lynch mentioned that Shanahan would coach only as much as he felt capable, based on instructions from his medical team.

“Kyle is adhering to the protocol,” Lynch confirmed.

In Shanahan’s absence, assistant head coach Chris Forster is taking over as interim head coach.