Kyle Shanahan ecstatic to be done with 2020 season, expects Robert Saleh to depart

2020 was a fairly forgettable season for the 49ers, but there were still three catches along the way that were memorable enough to be included in the NFL's collection of the top 100 catches of the year. The collection was released to the NFL's YouTube account on February 19 and included catches from wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, tight end Jordan Reed, and tight end George Kittle, with Reed and Kittle's catches cracking the top 20. Here's a look at the 49ers catches that made their list. C.J. Beathard and Kendrick Bourne's meaningless-but-still-cool Hail Mary completion (ranked 68th overall) This play came as time expired in the 49ers' 41-33 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on December 20. Chances are it would have ranked higher had it

According to Pro Football Reference, Fred Warner registered a team-leading and career-high 125 tackles, including five for a loss, in 2020. He added a sack, six passes defensed, two interceptions, and a forced fumble. It was enough to finally earn the San Francisco 49ers linebacker his overdue Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods. Warner has a message for fans and analysts who were impressed by the linebacker's exceptional play — "Stay tuned." Maybe we haven't seen anything yet from the young defensive star. Stay tuned. https://t.co/fTNjunwHG0— Fred Warner

Last year, Kyle Shanahan watched as Patrick Mahomes rallied his team late in the Super Bowl to dash the San Francisco 49ers' hopes of a sixth championship. With Deshaun Watson wanting out of Houston and interested teams contemplating what it might take to acquire the quarterback, should he force a trade, the coach has to look back at 2017 with at least a little regret. The 49ers could have had Watson — or Mahomes for that matter — and perhaps never would have had to wonder "what if?" The 49ers passed on both quarterbacks because the plan was to acquire Kirk Cousins during the rebuilding process. So Shanahan and general manager John Lynch used their first-ever draft pick as a duo on defensive lineman Solomon Thomas. It's been assumed that Shanahan is

Before landing with the San Francisco 49ers, the longest Mike McDaniel had spent with an NFL team was three years. That came with the Houston Texans between 2006 and 2008. That's also where he started working with Kyle Shanahan. Then-Texans head coach Gary Kubiak gave Shanahan his first shot as a position coach and McDaniel his first shot as a paid assistant. Then Kubiak threw the two in a room together. That's where the relationship started, McDaniel shared with NBC Sports Bay Area. The two went on to work together in Washington, Cleveland, and Atlanta. Shanahan built so much trust in McDaniel that he brought the assistant to San Francisco when Shanahan was named the head coach in 2017. McDaniel has been with the 49ers since — his longest tenure with one