Kyle Shanahan To Coach 49ers’ Preseason Opener

“I can’t tell you guys how close it is,” Shanahan said on Saturday (via Matt Barrows) when speaking to reporters about his recovery. “I’m getting there. And I will be there.”

San Francisco’s first exhibition contest will take place on August 13 against Tennessee. Shanahan’s confirmation that he will be in place for that game is encouraging, although he added his concussion symptoms have not entirely dissipated yet. Shanahan’s workload has been reduced as a result, and no timeline is in place for a return to full duties.

In addition to a concussion, Shanahan suffered broken ribs, a broken nose and a broken hand. His physical injuries have largely healed by now, and the plan remains for a return to a regular workload to take place in advance of the regular season. Assistant head coach Chris Foerster and the 49ers’ coordinators have helped compensate for Shanahan’s reduced presence at the team’s facility during training camp so far, but that arrangement is still on course to be temporary.

During Shanahan’s remarks, he noted his Tesla was set to autopilot during the time leading up to his accident. He is unsure if the autopilot feature was disabled when reaching for his phone after dropping it; in any case, the collision resulted in notable injuries to Shanahan but none to the driver of the other vehicle. No citations were issued by Palo Alto police following the incident.

The coming season will mark Shanahan’s 10th at the helm of the 49ers. Expectations remain high following a 2025 campaign in which the team posted a 12-5 record despite a number of significant injuries. Further issues on that front have already emerged, but in Shanahan’s case the recovery process is moving along well.