Nov 16, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers tackle Trent Williams (71) looks on after the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

49ers' Trent Williams Details Kyle Shanahan's Coaching Philosophy

Originally posted on San Francisco 49ers on SI
By Henry Cheal | Last updated Mar 4, 2026 6:00 PM ET

Kyle Shanahan’s 2025 season as the San Francisco 49ers head coach arguably still doesn’t get the credit it deserves.

He should have won the 2025 NFL Coach of the Year award, an honor he has yet to claim. He led the 49ers to the playoffs despite key weapons missing extended stretches or even the entire season, and the year brought plenty of surprises.

Trent Williams said on The Pivot Podcast that Shanahan should have won the award, but he also offered incredible insight into Shanahan's scheme, philosophy, and how he operates the 49ers' organization.

"The fact that he made us competitive. The fact that he believed that we could go win the Super Bowl. He made us believe and it's not because of what we had in the locker room, but because of what we had in the coach," shared Williams.

"How he broke down the game, how he just understood his team, when to give days off, [and] when to push us on times we want days off.

"He's got a keen understanding how to treat a locker room and not sweat the small sh*t [and] making sure everybody is accountable and we all play with the same intensity, and if you don't, you'll get caught out."

Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

It’s no secret that Shanahan pushes hard in practice and training. His football IQ has been widely praised around the league for years, and Williams explained further about how he gets his players to buy into his schematics and how every player offers something valuable.

"It makes you feel 'damn, I'm letting him down', I know he trusts me with this, and I want to pay him back by being productive and executing his game plan, and that's what he instils in us," he stated.

"I learned more in that 30-minute team meeting with Kyle, breaking down the next opponent and more football anytime that I did in the previous ten years. The way he breaks it down is literally something you'll never seen."

It’s as high a level of praise as one can give. After all, Williams chose to join the 49ers because of Shanahan, after previously working together in Washington, where Shanahan was his offensive coordinator. The connection runs deep.

If 2025 proved one thing, it’s that Shanahan can work with and extract the maximum potential from any player, regardless of draft status or perceived value. Just look at Jake Tonges, for example.

This article first appeared on San Francisco 49ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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