Here we take a look at San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan’s top-three coaching performances against the Seattle Seahawks.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan hasn’t had great success against the Seattle Seahawks during his tenure.
In fact, he is only 3-8 against them dating back to 2017, his first season with the Niners, and that record is his worst against any NFC West opponent. For reference, over the course of his head-coaching career, Shanahan is 4-7 against the Arizona Cardinals and 9-3 against the Los Angeles Rams in the regular season.
Shanahan looks to change that narrative this week during his primetime matchup with Seattle on Thursday Night Football in a game that could ultimately win San Francisco the division title.
Many counted the Seahawks out from the start of the 2022 season, thinking they would be ineffective after trading away longtime starting quarterback Russell Wilson. However, with Geno Smith taking the reins under center, Seattle has proven to be the only formidable opponent for the 49ers in the division.
Seattle has also had some breakout performances from rookies on both sides of the ball, too. Rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen currently is tied for first place in the league in interceptions with six and is a leading vote-getter for the Pro Bowl at his position. Rookie running back Kenneth Walker III has also been stellar this season as well, and in 11 appearances, he has rushed for 649 yards and nine touchdowns.
The Hawks won’t be an easy task. But let’s take a look at Shanahan’s top three head-coaching performances against them.
No. 3: Seahawks @ 49ers (9/18/22)
At No. 3, we have the last matchup the 49ers had with the Seahawks back in September.
The main headline of this game was the fact that second-year quarterback Trey Lance fractured his ankle and was lost for the season. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, whom many thought would be on another team in 2022, took back quarterbacking duties for the team.
Garoppolo would play an extremely efficient game throwing for 154 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions, while also rushing for another touchdown. The ever-so-versatile wide receiver Deebo Samuel would have 53 rushing yards and 44 receiving yards, too.
The Niners defense was on point the whole game as well, not allowing any offensive scores for the Seahawks. Defensive end Nick Bosa recorded two sacks in the game, and defensive backs Charvarius Ward and Tashaun Gipson each grabbed an interception.
In a masterful show of coaching, Kyle Shanahan adjusted to a huge injury and helped lead the team to a 27-7 victory, with the Seahawks’ only score coming on a return of a blocked field-goal try.
No. 2: Seahawks @ 49ers (12/16/18)
The Niners’ 2018 season is one that began with disaster, as just three games into the season, Jimmy Garoppolo went down with a torn ACL and would be lost for the year.
Backup C.J. Beathard would take over duties at quarterback but would prove ineffective, going 0-5 in his five starts, and then Kyle Shanahan would go to undrafted rookie signal-caller Nick Mullens, who managed to go 3-5 to end the season.
But one of those victories was against the Seahawks.
On Dec. 16, 2018, Mullens would go 20-of-29 for 275 yards passing and one touchdown.
Kicker Robbie Gould was arguably the star of the game, though, and he hit both of his extra-point attempts and all four of his field-goal attempts, the most important one being the 36-yarder to win the game in overtime.
The 49ers would win the game 26-23, and Shanahan would get his first head-coaching victory against Seattle.
No. 1: 49ers @ Seahawks (12/29/19)
The most important head-coaching victory to date that Kyle Shanahan has had against the Seahawks was the final game of the 100th NFL season.
In the season finale of the 2019 season, the Niners and Seahawks did battle on Sunday Night Football with the division on the line, and the winner of the game would win the NFC West and earn the No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs along with a first-round bye. The loser would get relegated to a Wild Card spot and have to play their first playoff game on the road.
Deebo Samuel was a key player in this game with five receptions for 102 yards receiving. But the real strength of the offense was in the ground game.
Samuel rushed for 33 yards and one touchdown while running back Raheem Mostert rushed for 57 yards and two touchdowns.
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The game was a back-and-forth battle between the two teams. With 2:27 left in the game, and the 49ers clinging to a five-point lead, the Seahawks got the ball back. Russell Wilson would lead his team down the field with everything coming down to a 4th-and-goal play from the 5-yard line.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw would make one of the most amazing plays of the season, stopping tight end Jacob Hollister on the 1-yard line to clinch the victory.
The 26-21 win by San Francisco would give Kyle Shanahan his first division title and first trip to the playoffs as a head coach.