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Kyle Shanahan made a brief appearance as the San Francisco 49ers opened training camp Sunday, marking another step in his recovery. The 49ers head coach, who is still recovering from the concussion he suffered in a July 14 car accident, observed the 11-on-11 drills from behind the secondary, chatting with GM John Lynch while letting his staff handle the on-field work.
Coach Shanahan kept a low profile, but it didn’t take long for everyone to realize who had walked onto the field. Sporting a thick mustache, dark sunglasses, and a black cap, the 49ers head coach quietly slipped into the team’s first training camp practice before making his way to midfield. Once the cameras cleared, Shanahan caught up with general manager John Lynch and exchanged greetings with several key players.
It was Shanahan’s first public appearance since the July 14 car crash that left him with multiple injuries. Twelve days later, he watched the 49ers’ 11-on-11 period from a distance while assistant head coach Chris Foerster ran practice. After roughly 30 minutes in the California heat, Shanahan headed back inside, continuing his recovery. As per Matt Barrows on X.
Aside from the cast on his left hand, Shanahan appeared to be in good spirits. According to ESPN, the crash left him with 40 facial stitches, a broken nose, two black eyes, multiple broken ribs, and a concussion. The accident occurred near his Los Altos Hills home and involved one other vehicle.
Until Shanahan is cleared to return full-time, Chris Foerster has taken over day-to-day duties on the practice field. Speaking after Sunday’s session, the veteran assistant admitted he didn’t officially know he’d be running camp until the team’s Saturday morning announcement. Before stepping aside, Shanahan gave him one simple piece of advice: “Do what you want to do—and if you don’t want to do it, delegate it.”
Lynch also emphasized that Shanahan is following the same concussion protocol every NFL player must complete before returning to full football activities. While the head coach could continue making brief appearances at practice, he won’t resume leading drills or team meetings until doctors clear him.
“He’s a tremendous head coach, but this is bigger than that,” Lynch said. “This is about his well-being. We’re going to take the time necessary, and I think we’re very equipped to do that.”
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