The 49ers are loaded between the lines. Their roster features top-five NFL players at a slew of positions with a couple players trending that direction if they’re not already there. Another key component of their success though is having a top-five head coach, and that’s where Kyle Shanahan landed in the Touchdown Wire head coach rankings. Only Mike Tomlin, Sean McVay and Andy Reid are ahead of him.
While the discourse around Shanahan has revolved around his team’s inability to get over the hump, he gets a ton of credit for continually coaching a team that is in the mix. Via Jarrett Bailey at TD Wire:
The 49ers led the NFL in offensive EPA per play, success rate, EPA per dropback, EPA per rush, dropback success rate, and rushing success rate in 2023- that’s so incredibly difficult to do, but with Shanahan and their cast of stars, they made it look simple. No one will be surprised if they are one of the final four teams come January, nor will anyone be shocked if they are back in the Super Bowl. Let’s see if they can finally win one.
Shanahan’s value as a coach is not super easy to replace, and it’s why the 49ers are content with keeping him despite a handful of tough end-of-season losses. He’s a game-changing offensive coach which is a key component of success in the modern NFL.
He’s certainly not perfect. There are time management issues at times and questionable player usage, but overall the 49ers are a better team because Shanahan is at the helm.
Eventually he’s going to have to get over the hump and win a title if he’s going to enter the pantheon of all-time great coaches. For now though he’s top-five in the NFL and there’s not much that’s going to change that any time soon.
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