Kyle Shanahan on 49ers’ identity after offseason changes: ‘Pressure’s on the older guys’

The San Francisco 49ers reshaped their roster this offseason, parting ways with several longtime contributors—including fan favorites like Dre Greenlaw—while adding a wave of rookies through the draft. After a disappointing 6-11 record in 2024, head coach Kyle Shanahan is counting on young players to step up quickly while veterans set the tone.

Shanahan joined Bay Area radio station KNBR on Wednesday to discuss the team's evolving identity heading into the 2025 season—and following so much roster turnover.

"I think you take on a different identity every year," Shanahan explained. "There's our familiar names that everyone knows that have been playing at an extremely high level, but you need new names to come up to be able to keep that going.

"Even with veterans, there's pressure on. We always say it—the cliché of coaching—but you're always getting better or worse. You never stay the same. So, the pressure's on the older guys, too, who've done it before. They can't just go out there and think they're going to do it again. You've got to put in that work."

Shanahan noted that the process began in Phase One of the offseason program back in April, praising the energy and commitment he has seen from his players since then.

With so many new faces, veterans like George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Fred Warner, and Nick Bosa face added pressure to not only perform at an elite level but also help mentor younger teammates still finding their footing.

"I thought we had a hell of an offseason throughout OTAs (organized team activities)," Shanahan added. "I think we've had a hell of a camp so far, and we've got a big mix of young guys and older guys, and we'll see what our team is here, coming out of camp, but that's not the final spot.

"We'll see what it is throughout the year, and we'll see what, hopefully, we end up becoming by the end of the season."