During halftime against the Detroit Lions, some San Francisco 49ers fans on social media called for Kyle Shanahan to be fired. The head coach seemed on the verge of losing a third consecutive NFC Championship Game.
Shanahan and the 49ers rebounded, erasing a 17-point deficit and securing a Super Bowl berth. On February 11, the team will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas for the Vince Lombardi Trophy, a rematch of the coach's last Super Bowl defeat.
If Shanahan wins, he will likely be lauded as one of the most brilliant coaches of all time. Should he lose, he will face criticism as someone who can't win the big game.
With two previous Super Bowl appearances resulting in late-game collapses, some believe Shanahan's legacy is at stake. However, it's unlikely that the outcome of Super Bowl 58 will impact how 49ers CEO Jed York views Shanahan.
"I love Kyle," York affirmed on Thursday. "I think Kyle, it would be hard for me to say that I enjoy working with anybody more than I enjoy working with Kyle. I think Kyle's a phenomenal coach. I think he's done a phenomenal job with our club.
"I don't really care what the outside perception is. It is very difficult to make the playoffs. It's very difficult to get to a championship game. It's very difficult to win a championship game. It's more difficult to get to this game. And I think Kyle's results more than speak for themselves."
Win or loss, one thing is clear: Shanahan isn't likely going anywhere for a while, which most will see as a positive for the organization's future.
Jed York on Kyle Shanahan's perception depending on the result of the Super Bowl:
"I love Kyle. It would be hard for me to say that I enjoy working with anybody more than I enjoy working with Kyle. I think Kyle is a phenomenal coach. I think he's done a phenomenal job with our… pic.twitter.com/tL6saUxCLh
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) February 1, 2024
