49ers’ Kyle Shanahan breaks silence with stunning revelation of car crash

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan publicly discussed the car accident he was involved in on July 14.

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Shanahan wanted to provide clarity on the events, specifically that the collision near his home in Northern California was his fault.

49ers beat writer Nick Wagoner was the first to report the news.

The 46-year-old briefly took his eyes off the road to find his phone, which had fallen between the seats. Once he looked up, Shanahan had already gone over the line and into an SUV.

“I was driving. I was going 20 mph. I was not on my phone, but I dropped my phone, and it was stuck in my seat. I took my eyes off the road looking for my phone, and my car veered into someone,” Shanahan said, via David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. “It’s one of those roads where there’s no forgiveness. It’s one of those roads where I’ll teach my kids, you don’t drive in the left lane for no reason. You’re only allowed a foot. When I hit her, I’ll never forget how violent the impact was.”

California Highway Patrol’s database allegedly had a clerical error attributing accident to the woman, who was in the other vehicle.

Shanahan directly contradicted CHP and said that is not accurate.

The 49ers initially issued a press release Saturday regarding the car crash, moments before general manager John Lynch spoke to the media where he addressed Shanahan’s condition.

“Kyle basically is going to be like in the protocol,” Lynch said. “Doc [Anthony Saglimbeni] and all the great doctors we have are giving him great care, and we’re going to let you know [his] condition… the doctors dictate how he comes back, when he comes back.”

Several 49ers players found out about the car accident when it was reported by the media. Quarterback Brock Purdy was one of the few players who knew about the crash and tried to relay the message to his teammates.

49ers assistant head coach, Chris Foerster, is the acting interim head coach while Shanahan recovers from the collision.

“Chris is the acting head coach, but it is going to be very much a collective effort,” Lynch said.

It was later revealed Shanahan sustained a severe concussion because of the crash as well as a broken nose, three broken ribs and a broken hand. A face wound also required 40 stitches.

According to Chris Simms (a close friend of Shanahan), the 49ers head coach nearly lost an eye in the accident. Shanahan was hospitalized after the accident, but he also clarified that he didn’t lose consciousness or have amnesia.

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Speculation swirled regarding the car crash and Shanahan’s involvement, specifically because reporters who did know of the crash complied with the team’s wishes to hold the information until the start of training camp.

“It crushed me hearing [the other driver] getting blamed for it and to hear people think that people are hiding something for me,” Shanahan said, via The San Francisco Standard. “I think people are good people and [recognize] it’s a personal thing.”

Nevertheless, Shanahan appears to have set the record straight during a closed door meeting he held with the team’s beat writers Tuesday.

“I was really lucky,” Shanahan said. “I’m just lucky that I survived, that [the other driver] didn’t get hurt, and that I didn’t lose my eye.”

Kyle Shanahan provides update on injuries from scary car crash

Less than two weeks after the accident, Shanahan made a brief cameo at 49ers training camp over the weekend. He wore glasses to cover the black eyes he sustained and was seen wearing a cast Sunday.

On Tuesday, Shanahan provided the latest update on his progress.

Shanahan said the concussion he sustained in the collision is what’s given him the most trouble in his recovery. Loud sounds like music blasting at 49ers’ practice or multiple people talking at once have been bothersome for the 49ers head coach.

He is expected to make a full recovery and has already made considerable progress, according to Shanahan himself.

While the 49ers have kicked off training camp without their head coach, the team has expressed a readiness for a situation like this.

“We’re not going to blink,” Lynch said over the weekend. “We feel like we’re well equipped for something like this.”

The team will lean on its veteran players and coaches to lead the squad this summer until Shanahan is ready to return.

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