Though he is still trying to take the San Francisco 49ers to the promised land, head coach Kyle Shanahan dipped his toe into life after football while helping the NBC broadcast of Super Bowl LX.
But that will be all of Shanahan’s TV for a while.
The Niners coach opened up about why he still loves coaching and how being on television will wait during the NFL’s league meetings in Phoenix.
Shanahan is set to enter Year 10 with the 49ers and has taken them to two Super Bowls and four NFL final four appearances in his previous nine years.
Kyle Shanahan Liked TV, But Is ‘Good Coaching’
Shanahan’s NFC West rival and peer Sean McVay flirted with leaving the coaching ranks for TV before returning to the Los Angeles Rams. But Shanahan won’t even entertain the idea of being on air full time, just yet.
“I’m good coaching,” Shanahan told The Athletic this week. “I love coaching. Even though I look like I’ve aged 10 years ⦠because I physically have aged 10 years, I still feel good.
“My family still loves it. I think they would kill me if I was home a lot more.”
Shanahan still feels good because of his robust success in San Francisco. He somehow ranks third in Niners history in wins (82) and is second in games coached (149) and will surpass Bill Walsh (152) during the 2026 season.
Plus, Shanahan struggled to find things to say that were smart without giving away his own state secrets.
“I think Iâd enjoy it more the second time,â Shanahan said. âI was a little out of my element, so I had some anxiety about it. ⦠They kept asking questions, and I want to answer them, but Iâm like, ‘Man, I still work in this league, and I have to play against these people.’ I couldnât just talk.
âYou have to be so strategic. You want to say something that actually makes sense, but you donât want to say something that helps anybody.â
The 49ers Continue to Want Kyle Shanahan as Their Head Coach
It takes two to tango. So although Shanahan has had near-unprecedented success for a 49ers coach not named Walsh or Seifert, there are fans who are still unhappy with Shanahan’s key decisions in big games.
But the organization is full on board with the 46-year-old offensive play caller, who is locked in through the 2028 season.
âI think Kyleâs got three years left. I want Kyle to be here for a long time,” 49ers owner Jed York told The Athletic. “Heâs been here for a long time. I want him to be here even longer.â
Shanahan is still hungry to win the Super Bowl, since that is about the only thing he has left to accomplish with the 49ers. He attracted veteran wide receiver Mike Evans, who has won the Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and is hoping Evans can instill in the 49ers what it takes to scale the mountain.
âThat he chose to come to us shows how important football is to this guy,â Shanahan said. âWe have a number of veterans, and I love the thought of pairing him up with some of these guys that are playing for one reason, and thatâs to try to get to the Super Bowl.â
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