There is nothing particularly unusual about NFL coaches and players growing frustrated with the league’s enforcement of certain rules. San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is no different, but his frustration is a bit more specific and not quite as football-oriented as some others may be.
In an appearance on KNBR’s “Murph and Mac,” Shanahan revealed that the league is not allowing him to wear the custom-designed flat caps that he had worn in the past. The 49ers coach added that only pre-approved hats were allowed by the NFL, and that he does not like any of them.
“I have such beef with them right now,” Shanahan said (roughly 18:00 in). “It’s a tough issue going on. They won’t let me pick out my own one. They won’t let me wear any one that’s from a different year, so I can’t wear like an older one. I’ve got to wear the new ones that they give this year. Unfortunately, there’s none I like wearing. Hopefully, we can figure it out or wait until Salute to Service. I don’t want to go too hard and get fined or anything but trust me, I’m upset about it.”
The hat in question is the sort Shanahan wore in the 2019 season. He certainly caught some grief for the bizarre-looking hat, but he said his wife would not allow him to switch to a different one as long as the team was winning.
It’s not exactly the great Antonio Brown helmet controversy of 2019, but Shanahan does sound legitimately frustrated with the situation. The coach is very picky about his hat preferences, and not being able to wear his preferred model is a legitimate issue. No, it does not appear to be one he’s willing to burn any bridges over, but it sounds like he may have sent an unhappy message or two to the league office.
More must-reads: