The San Francisco 49ers have endured an intense stretch of football since missing the playoffs in 2020, with deep postseason runs in every season since. That grind has taken a toll—not just on the players, but on head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio joined Bay Area radio station KNBR on Wednesday morning, noting that the physical and emotional strain of consistent playoff contention appears to have caught up with Shanahan and the 49ers.
"When you look at the 49ers right now, the franchise feels exhausted," Florio said. "Shanahan looks exhausted. We've had every year except 2020 deep into the playoffs. That's a physical, mental, and spiritual burden you've got to figure out how to deal with. And you've got to reset, and you've got to keep carrying that. And the way they play their games, that physicality the 49ers have used to be as great as they've been, that takes a toll."
The 49ers are stumbling through their most challenging season in recent years, dropping three straight games to fall to 5-7. Their playoff chances continue diminishing, with postseason elimination likely on the horizon.
"So now, we feel like we're at a point where, for the nucleus of veterans, the sun is setting," Florio added. "There's going to be a future that no one really knows what it will hold. Can they go out and find a collection of players like the ones they've had?"
The 49ers may be headed toward a roster overhaul, especially if they make quarterback Brock Purdy one of the NFL's highest-paid players. It may be time to start considering moving on from some aging, high-priced veterans.
Florio suggested earlier this week that Shanahan might benefit from a change of scenery, proposing that the Chicago Bears inquire about trading for the coach. While there's no indication such a move is being considered, the suggestion underscores the strain Shanahan has endured during his tenure.
"The job, by its very nature, is exhausting," Florio explained. "And if you do it the right way, you exhaust yourself. You age like a president. Go back and look at the headshots from early in his career. It's been a rough ride. You put a lot of yourself into it."
Florio continued, "If you're in a demanding job, and you're not sleeping enough, and you're not eating right, and you're constantly carrying around stress, it's going to show itself. And I feel like one of the things that makes Kyle Shanahan great is he puts in the time, he puts in the effort, he puts in the work, he puts in the heart and the soul and the elbow grease."
Despite the challenges, Florio concluded that parting ways with Shanahan would be a mistake for San Francisco. However, he noted that the Bears would be wise to at least explore the possibility.
You can listen to Florio's entire interview below.