Kyle Shanahan was named the 20th head coach of the San Francisco 49ers on February 6, 2017, after spending the previous two seasons as the offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons.
During his second season at the helm of the 49ers, the 2018 team overcame adversity early in the season after top free agent acquisition RB Jerick McKinnon tore his ACL before Week 1 and starting QB Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 3, putting an end to both of their seasons. Despite the setback, Shanahan, his coaches, and the young core of the team stepped up to the challenge and endured the ups and downs of the season. Second-year TE George Kittle set an NFL record for most receiving yards by a tight end in a single season (1,377) while recording the most yards after catch by any player in the NFL since 2010 (870).
Shanahan was named Assistant Coach of the Year by the Associated Press, Coordinator of Year by The Sporting News, and Assistant Coach of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America in 2016. In six of his nine seasons as an offensive coordinator (2008-09, 2012-13, and 2015-16), Shanahan’s offense has ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in yards gained. Shanahan was 26 years old when he was named the wide receivers coach of the Houston Texans, becoming the youngest position coach in the NFL at that time. At 28 years old, he was named the offensive coordinator of the Texans and was the youngest coordinator in the NFL. Shanahan served as a ball boy for the 49ers when his father, Mike, was the offensive coordinator for the team from 1992-94. Mike helped guide the 49ers to a 49-26 victory in Super Bowl XXIX.
