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Kyle Shanahan car crash: What caused 49ers HC's accident? Scary details of injuries emerge
ESPN says Kyle Shanahan suffered a broken nose, ribs, hand and facial cuts in a July 14 crash near San Francisco. Police said drugs and alcohol weren't factors.
Kyle Shanahan, the San Francisco 49ers coach, has been injured for almost a week after a car crash. But 49ers fans and the NFL community at large got to know about it Saturday after Shanahan's absence from the team's "limited" open training session on Saturday.
The team released a statement on Saturday that their head coach will be unavailable after suffering "non-life-threatening injuries." With Shanahan absent on July 25 (Saturday), the first day of the 49ers' training session of the team, the team said he will join training "on a limited basis" as he recovers.
Coach Shanahan will participate in team activities on a limited basis at the start of training camp while he recovers," the team said. Assistant Head Coach Chris Foerster will take training, the team said.
However, the 49ers have provided very limited information on the crash, leading to the question, how bad was Kyle Shanahan's crash? Here's what we know.
Kyle Shanahan Injuries: What We Know
ESPN reported that the crash happened on July 14 in San Francisco, California. Shanahan's car struck a SUV with a lone driver, who was uninjured. The 49ers head coach, however, was left with a broken nose, three broken ribs and a broken hand. The ESPN report added that he was left with over 40 stitches on his face.
Police in Palo Alto said drugs and alcohol were not a factor in the crash. “Consistent with our standard release of information procedures in such cases, we do not release information regarding the cause of the collision, or which party may have been at fault,” Palo Alto lieutenant Nicholas Martinez told ESPN.
It is not known where exactly in Palo Alto the crash occurred. Shanahan was taken to a local hospital, where he stayed till late night on July 14. He reportedly suffered a concussion and will not be able to participate in training fully till the doctors clear him of the symptoms.
Nines Pre-Season Prep In Shanahan's Absence
The 2026-27 NFL season will be Kyle Shanahan's 10th as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, which makes him one of the longest-serving coaches in the league. His absence in the initial days of training camp, with the preseason games starting in August, could have an impact on the team's preparation, many fans and analysts worry.
The Niners' training camp at the SAP Training Center in Santa Clara started on July 18 with the rookies reporting. The entire team's camp begun on July 25, Saturday, and will go on till August 12, the day before the first pre-season game.
