San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and his staff haven't attended the NFL Scouting Combine since 2020 (the 2021 event was canceled). However, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, Shanahan is "likely" to make an appearance in Indianapolis next week.
"The 49ers have been a team in which the head coach never shows up to these things," Barrows said on the 49ers +/- podcast. "But I've heard that at least Kyle Shanahan is likely, I'd say, to go. I don't think it's set in stone yet."
Barrows speculated that the 49ers finishing with a 6-11 record, missing the playoffs, and having extra time before the Combine may have influenced the decision to attend this year.
"So, they're ahead of the game compared to previous seasons, as far as him and his coaching staff, kind of researching some of these guys," Barrows continued. "And they have the No. 11 pick. They haven't had a first-round pick in a while. Or they had one last year, but it was so late.
"They haven't had a high first-round pick since Nick Bosa. So yeah, that's probably part of the reason why Shanahan might show up in Indianapolis."
That doesn't necessarily mean Shanahan will participate in one of the scheduled press conferences next week. Meanwhile, general manager John Lynch, who attends the Combine annually, is currently scheduled to speak to the media on Wednesday, February 26.