The San Francisco 49ers’ 2024 season has been a disaster in most conceivable facets.
A 6-8 start and a near certain absence from the postseason for the first time since 2020 led some fans to clamor for Shanahan’s ouster. While Shanahan deserves at least some of the blame for San Francisco’s rough year, the Athletic’s Dianna Russini on Saturday reported the 49ers aren’t going to be searching for a new head coach this offseason.
Via the Athletic:
And what about Kyle Shanahan? Despite this being the Niners’ worst season since 2020, Shanahan, in his eighth season with San Francisco, isn’t going anywhere. The mutual commitment between coach and franchise remains. Ignore all the rumors. The organization fully believes in his ability to lead the team forward, even after a rough year.
Given some of the struggles the 49ers had in the post-Jim Harbaugh era, it’s not a shock that ownership would aim to avoid another coaching search for as long as possible.
Harbaugh went to three straight NFC championship games and a Super Bowl before getting fired following some internal turmoil and an 8-8 season. In the two years after that the 49ers had two head coaches who went a combined 7-25.
Shanahan stepped in and in Year 1 posted a better record than either of the previous two coaches at 6-10, and in Year 3 the team was in the Super Bowl.
2024 was a mess, to be sure, but there’s a long enough track record that it makes sense to continue betting on Shanahan. Moving on from him one year removed from a run of three consecutive NFC title games and a Super Bowl could set the organization back years.
They made that mistake once already, and it doesn’t sound like they’re keen to make it again.
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