George Kittle credits Mac Jones for keeping the 49ers afloat last season
George Kittle credited Mac Jones with helping the 49ers overcome multiple significant injuries and maintain success throughout last season.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was recently involved in a car accident, according to a statement released by the team on July 25th.
The coach suffered “non-life-threatening” injuries in the incident, but his injuries will be limited by the time the Niners open training camp.
“San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was involved in a car accident last week and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Coach Shanahan will participate in limited team activities at the start of training camp until he recovers,” the team said in a statement.
“Coach Shanahan and the 49ers organization would like to sincerely thank everyone involved for their efforts and consideration. Assistant head coach Chris Forster, along with the team coordinator, will assume head coaching responsibilities during this period.”
Shanahan will be entering his 10th season as the team’s head coach. The 49ers hired him ahead of the 2017 season after spending nine years as offensive coordinator with Atlanta, Cleveland, Houston and Washington.
San Francisco is scheduled to open the preseason against the Tennessee Titans on August 13th, with less than a month left until the regular season opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia. So the question arises – when will Shanahan return to the sideline?
Here’s what we know about Shanahan’s car accident, when it happened, and the injuries he sustained.
What happened to Kyle Shanahan?
Shanahan was involved in a car accident and suffered multiple injuries.
At 6:13 p.m. on July 14, Dispatch received a report of a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Alma and Hamilton streets near Stanford University, and Palo Alto Police and Palo Alto Fire Departments responded to the scene, Palo Alto Police Department Lt. Nicholas Martinez told USA TODAY Sports.
Two drivers were involved in the crash, one of whom was taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash.
Martinez added that there was no suspicion of impairment and that both drivers remained at the scene and were cooperative with police. No one mentioned this conflict.
Kyle Shanahan car accident date
Shanahan’s car accident occurred on July 14th.
Kyle Shanahan’s car accident injuries
49ers general manager
49ers general manager John Lynch spoke about Shanahan’s recovery and the accident in a July 25 press conference, stating that Shanahan suffered broken ribs, a broken nose, several “bruises” and a concussion.
“Kyle is in good condition. He has bruises and bruises, but he suffered a concussion in the accident and is still suffering from the effects of that concussion,” Lynch said. “We’re going to let the doctors decide how he’s going to come back and when he’s going to come back. He’s been in the building, so we’ve been seeing him.
“It’s a gradual return approach, similar to what we do with our players. The most important thing for Kyle and the Shanahan family is to get him back on track. He’s a great head coach, but this is more important than that. This is about his health, and we’re going to take the necessary time to work on it, and I think we’re well-prepared for that.”
As of now, the concussion remains a major hurdle for Shanahan to clear before returning.
“He broke his nose, but the black eye part is getting better,” Lynch said. “He broke some ribs. It hurt, but it’s not holding him back. It’s a concussion. And like I said, we’ll continue to evaluate him and phase him back in. And then we’ll scale it up as he’s able to tolerate things. And that’s obviously what’s prescribed by the doctors and nothing else.”
Where did Kyle Shanahan’s car accident happen?
The accident occurred at the intersection of Alma and Hamilton streets in Palo Alto, California, near Stanford University.
When will Kyle Shanahan return?
Shanahan’s return schedule is dependent on his recovery from a concussion, which could put his Week 1 status in jeopardy.
Lynch expressed some optimism about Shanahan’s recovery, telling reporters that Shanahan is not expected to miss the opening game.
“That’s not what we expect,” Lynch said. “That’s not what I’ve heard from the doctors, but just like we talk to our players, the schedule takes care of itself. So he has to meet certain metrics, but the expectations are long before he gets better. But again, everyone reacts to these things differently. And you know, we’re going to do whatever it takes to get him right when he comes back, and that’s the right thing to do.”
Who will replace Kyle Shanahan?
49ers assistant head coach Chris Forster will serve as head coach while Shanahan is out. The 49ers announced that the team coordinator will also take on some of the responsibilities in their head coach’s absence.
Foerster has been with the Niners since 2019, winning various titles during that time. He joined the NFL in 1993 with the Minnesota Vikings and has primarily coached the offensive line since then.
Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan may be rivals on the field, but they’re friends first. On the Rams’ first day of training camp on July 25, McVay said he spoke with Shanahan after the coach’s fall.
“Most importantly, we thank God that he and the others involved are safe,” McVeigh said. “It’s all about perspective. We talk about it all the time as coaches and everyone has different experiences. I think the most important thing is that he’s on the road to recovery.”
“I think every time something like that happens, it’s a little bit upsetting. But the most important thing is that I talked to him. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family and I know he has a great perspective on everything. Kyle is a stallion. I respect him more than anyone and he’s my friend. I love him and I hope he makes a great recovery.”
