The San Francisco 49ers hired Kyle Shanahan to replace Chip Kelly as the team’s head coach back in 2017, and since then, he’s had a fair amount of success in his first run leading a team.
In his first nine seasons, the 49ers have gone 82-67 in the regular season. They’ve made the postseason five times, going 9-5, while appearing in the NFC Championship four times and making the Super Bowl twice.
Heading into his 10th year in San Francisco, Shanahan is seen as one of the best coaches in the league. In fact, Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker recently ranked Shanahan third behind Sean McVay and Andy Reid.
“Shanahan has remained one of football’s preeminent offensive minds while continuing to cultivate stars and overcome major injuries,” Locker wrote. “Combine all of that, and you’re left with one of the top leaders in the sport… The 49ers coach may have pulled off his best work yet in 2025, going 12-5 and reaching the divisional round despite a beleaguered defense that graded as the league’s second worst. The only thing that’s eluded Shanahan is a title, but there’s very little else to criticize.”
Interestingly, Shanahan is the only coach in the top four without a Super Bowl title after Mike Macdonald, who came in at No. 4, won his first with the Seattle Seahawks last year.
If Shanahan can finally break through and win a Super Bowl, that will cement his legacy as one of the best coaches of this generation.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan earns massive respect in 2026 head coach rankings
Reporting by Mike Masala, Niners Wire / Niners Wire
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By Mike Masala, Niners Wire | USA TODAY Network
