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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan admitted he was at fault for the car accident he was involved in on July 14 that led to multiple injuries that have limited him in training camp.
Shanahan called beat reporters into his office Monday to clarify that he was the one who caused the accident. The California Highway Patrol database had a “typing error” that attributed the crash to the woman involved in the two-car accident, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.
“He took his eyes off the road briefly to find his phone dropped between the seats and when he looked up he had crossed the line and into an SUV,” Wagoner wrote on X.
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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan watches from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa, Florida, on Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Shanahan was in violation of holding and operating a cell phone while driving, but he was not cited for that after the crash.
Reporters who spoke with Shanahan also mentioned him saying that he did not lose consciousness or have memory loss after the accident. He also noted that he was driving 20 km/h at the time of the crash.
ESPN’s initial report on the crash said the woman suffered no injuries, but Shanahan suffered broken ribs, a broken nose and broken hand, while also suffering a severe concussion. In addition, he needed 40 stitches to close wounds on his face.
KYLE SHANAHAN ‘CLOSE’ TO LOSING RIGHT EYE IN HORRIBLE CAR CRASH, NFL ANALYST DENIES
During a Monday taping of “PFT Live,” Chris Simms, a close friend of Shanahan’s, revealed that the 49ers coach nearly lost his right eye after seeing photos sent to him by Shanahan’s wife after the crash.
“When you first see it and it’s fresh and some of the cuts are still wide open, I mean, it’s jarring,” Simms explained. “It’s jarring.
“He was so close to maybe losing his right eye.”
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan speaks at a press conference after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams in Santa Clara, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez)
Simms pointed to his forehead as he said, “The scar is so big right here.” He also said Shanahan was emotional about the situation when they were able to connect.
“He was emotional about it because he realized how close it was to being a complete, you know, complete disaster,” Simms said. “Like, really, it was a disaster anyway. But when you’re part of that accident, like I said, he could have lost his right eye. It could have been a lot worse. You know, he’s very concerned about the woman he got into the accident with and how she’s doing and dealing with that situation. So there’s just a lot there. And I think it was a lot for him to process.”
GM John Lynch said that “Kyle will basically be as in the protocol,” referring to his concussion. Simms said it gives him “some issues” he has to deal with through the healing process.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, left, reacts next to defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, center, during the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez)
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While Shanahan serves his team on a limited basis, Chris Foerster, the 49ers’ assistant head coach, acts in his place.
The 49ers open the season against the Los Angeles Rams on September 10 in the first game ever played in Australia.
