NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan admitted he was responsible for the car accident he was involved in on July 14, which resulted in numerous injuries that limited him in training camp.
Shanahan called reporters into his office Monday to clarify that he was the one who caused the accident. The California Highway Patrol’s database contained a “clerical error” attributing the crash to the woman involved in the two-car crash, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.
“He briefly took his eyes off the road to find his phone dropped between the seats and when he looked up he had crossed the line and gotten into an SUV,” Wagoner wrote on X.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan watches from the sidelines during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa, Florida on October 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Shanahan had a violation for possessing and using a cell phone while driving, but he was not cited for that after the crash.
Reporters who spoke with Shanahan also mentioned him saying he did not lose consciousness or have any amnesia after the accident. He also noted that he was going 20 mph at the time of the accident.
ESPN’s initial report on the accident stated that the woman suffered no injuries, but Shanahan suffered broken ribs, a broken nose and a broken hand, while also suffering a severe concussion. Additionally, it took 40 stitches to close the cuts on his face.
KYLE SHANAHAN ‘THIS CLOSE’ TO LOSING HIS RIGHT EYE IN HORRIBLE CAR ACCIDENT, REVEALS NFL ANALYST
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 viewing photos sent to him by Shanahan’s wife after the accident.
“When you first see it, and it’s fresh, and some of the cuts are still wide open, I mean, it’s shocking,” Simms said. “It’s shocking.
“He was on the verge of losing his right eye.”
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams in Santa Clara, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Simms pointed to his forehead when he said, “The scar is so big here.” He also said Shanahan felt emotional about the situation when they were able to connect.
“He was emotional because he realized how close it was to being a complete disaster, you know, a total disaster,” Simms said. “Actually, it was really 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 that he had the accident with and how she’s doing and how she’s handling that situation. So there’s a lot there. And I think it was a lot for him to deal with.”
General manager John Lynch said “Kyle will basically be as per protocol,” referring to his concussion. Simms said it presented him with “a few issues” that he had to work through throughout 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. Vásquez)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PK Press Club APP
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-ever game played in Australia.
