49ers’ Kyle Shanahan on history with Redskins: ‘It had nothing to do with the game’

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was able to exact a bit of vengeance against his former employer, the Washington Redskins, in Week 7.

The Niners pulled off a defensively stout 9-0 win over the Washington Redskins on Sunday amid a rain-filled and waterlogged FedEx Field in Landover Maryland. And while Shanahan might have wanted to put more of an offensive statement against the team for which he coordinated offenses under his father, Mike Shanahan, from 2010 through 2013, the win might be enough satisfaction against his one-time boss, Redskins owner Dan Snyder.

The relationship between Snyder and the Shanahan family is cold, at best, largely stemming from discontent between the two parties, particularly centered around how the franchise handled its one-time budding superstar, quarterback Robert Griffin III. Snyder and the Redskins fired both Shanahans at the end of the 2013 season, moving on to head coach Jay Gruden, who was subsequently fired two weeks ago.

Kyle Shanahan, meanwhile, is enjoying his 49ers success, as the team is now a perfect 6-0.

Earlier this week, Shanahan made some notable remarks about his time in Washington, saying the best thing about it was working under his father. When asked what the worst part was, Shanahan half-jokingly replied, "Everything else."

Although he did acknowledge a number of the Redskins players and coaches were good people, too.

So it was only natural Shanahan's second time back in Washington with the 49ers -- the first being a Niners loss back in 2017 -- would draw some attention on his relationship with Snyder and Co.

"I've been in a number of buildings, and not all of it always ends good," Shanahan told reporters when asked if Sunday's game had any extra meaning. "It had nothing to do with the game. Everyone's always a little more sensitive towards things that involve your family. That's why I'm always a little more sensitive to this because of what I went through with my dad here. And that's why it was nice to get the win.

"But it definitely had nothing to do with the game. It had nothing to do with the score. But you always want to take care of things the right way when you've been bothered about how some things have been for a family member."

Mike Shanahan never coached again following the Redskins firing him, while Kyle Shanahan spent 2014 with the Cleveland Browns before his storied two-year tenure with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015 and 2016.

Interestingly enough, Shanahan gave his father, Mike, the game ball following the victory, as reported by Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.

And while the 49ers head coach probably would have liked to put together a much more dominant offensive performance over his former employer, the win sounds like it was worthwhile enough.

Especially with the Redskins now falling to 1-6 amid a lost season.

• Written by:
  Peter Panacy
  Peter Panacy has been writing about the 49ers since 2011 for outlets like Bleacher Report, Niner Noise, 49ers Webzone, and is occasionally heard as a guest on San Francisco's 95.7 FM The Game and the Niners' flagship station, KNBR 680. Feel free to follow him, or direct any inquiries to his Twitter account.
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