49ers Coach Kyle Shanahan Finds Joy in Rebuilding Season

Kyle Shanahan stood before his San Francisco 49ers four days before Christmas with news that made the room explode with cheers: they were going to the playoffs.

The announcement carried extra weight because Shanahan had spent eight months deliberately avoiding playoff talk. After losing 17 players in the offseason and watching injuries pile up, he knew this team needed a different approach.

The 49ers lost more than $340 million worth of talent through free agency, trades, and releases. They had $152 million in injured players and dead salary cap space combined, fourth most in the league.

Yet somehow, Shanahan's squad won 12 regular season games, matching their 2023 total when they had a stacked roster and nearly won the Super Bowl. They beat the third-seeded Philadelphia Eagles in the wild card round despite losing star tight end George Kittle to injury before halftime.

The transformation started in Shanahan's living room last spring. He invited veterans like Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner to his house and delivered a clear message: this team would be different, and the Super Bowl-or-bust mentality had to go.

"We have to develop these guys," Shanahan told his veteran leaders, empowering them to help younger players grow. He banned talk of playoffs and championships, focusing instead on daily improvement.

Right tackle Colton McKivitz believes it's Shanahan's best coaching work yet. "By far," McKivitz said. "The coach of the year shouldn't be a question."

The Ripple Effect

Shanahan's approach created a culture shift that spread throughout the organization. By letting go of championship pressure and embracing the development process, he gave his coaching staff and players permission to focus on what they could control each day.

The veteran leaders responded by taking ownership of mentoring younger teammates. The result was a team that grew stronger as the season progressed, unfazed by setbacks that might have derailed previous squads.

Fullback Kyle Juszczyk remembers the moment in Indianapolis when Shanahan finally told them they could win it all. "That showed how Kyle has been energized by how we have developed this season," Juszczyk said.

Shanahan now has nine playoff wins, surpassing his father Mike's total. The 49ers have never lost a wild card or divisional round game in seven tries under his leadership, a testament to his ability to prepare teams for postseason pressure.

What looked like a rebuilding year became a masterclass in adaptive leadership, proving that sometimes the greatest coaching happens when expectations are lowest.