Many NFL head coaches do not last all that long. It seems a lot of guys only make it a few years, and San Francisco 49ers fans are far too familiar with the one-and-done coaches who flame out immediately.
That’s what makes Kyle Shanahan’s tenure as the Niners head coach so remarkable.
He is now entering Year 10 with the Niners, which seems like a time when a lot of coaches might slow down or may not feel the most security in their job, but Shanahan seems just as motivated as ever.
Shanahan appeared on Tom Tolbert’s podcast recently and was asked about whether he would want to win a Super Bowl and then not have his team be good for the next decade, or go to the playoffs 10 straight years.
Shanahan’s response was revealing.
“Since you said one scenario was having a Super Bowl, I haven’t heard one word since you said since,” Shanahan said in return.
49ers fans know just how much Shanahan craves a Super Bowl ring. The fact the Niners have come so agonizingly close to winning one under Shanahan, but have come up short time and time again, is why he still has that fire.
He feels like he has to get that monkey off his back and win one so he can be welcomed with open arms into the pantheon of truly great NFL head coaches.
It has to hurt him that his good friend Sean McVay has one with the Los Angeles Rams, so you know Shanahan wants to at least tie his buddy. Plus, Shanahan has always had the shadow of his father Mike’s legacy hanging over him throughout his career. Mike Shanahan won two Super Bowls as the head coach of the Denver Broncos and one when he was previously the 49ers offensive coordinator.
Mike's son has had the inverse of that.
Kyle Shanahan lost a Super Bowl as the offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons to conclude the 2016 season, and he has lost two of them as San Francisco's head coach.
It will be interesting to see if he can get it done with the 49ers. The championship window is still open, but with an aging group of veteran players, coupled with the fact the Niners play in the ultra-competitive NFC West, it is not going to be easy by any stretch.
Maybe Shanahan will end up like head coach Andy Reid who experienced heartbreak with the Philadelphia Eagles but then went on to win multiple rings with the Kansas City Chiefs. That would be awful for Niners fans to see, but at least Shanahan is clearly as motivated as ever to get that monkey off his back.
One can only hope he eventually gets it done with San Francisco.
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