Simms, who is currently with Bleacher Report, was a college teammate of Shanahan and remembers Lil Wayne's music being prominent within the coach's playlist at the time.
"He was obsessed with Lil Wayne my early years in the NFL," Simms said of Shanahan during a podcast in May. "Kyle's one of those guys, if you're hanging and we're drinking some beers or whatever, he's got to control the music. And he has A.D.D., so we can never actually listen to a full song. We'd listen for like 30 seconds, and he'd be, 'Oh, I've got another cool one.'"
TMZ revealed on Thursday that the 49ers head coach recently received a care package from Lil Wayne. Once the rapper heard that Shanahan's son is named after him, he sent the two gifts which included albums, posters, and a personal greeting.
Shanahan's taste in music may be rubbing off on his new quarterback. Jimmy Garoppolo told Steve Wyche of NFL Network that Lil Wayne is part of his pre-practice playlist which helps him get into the right mindset. Or it could merely be a coincidence. Although, Garoppolo said rapper 50 Cent's music was a part also on the playlist.
Garoppolo was part of a 49ers entourage, which included Shanahan, his son, and tight end George Kittle, that took a photo with 50 Cent before the Bellator 199 event held at the SAP Center in May.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers mailbag: What kind of punishment will Jed York receive? Which veteran players are on the bubble? Will Kittle, Bosa play in Week 1?
The San Francisco 49ers are in the final week of preseason, and soon the roster speculation will give way to actual roster decisions. There is no shortage of questions surrounding this team, which I must confess is never boring to cover. From Jed York's stunning legal situation... -
Why 49ers' Kyle Shanahan refused to name players who stood out vs. Raiders
A few San Francisco 49ers players made positive impressions on head coach Kyle Shanahan during Thursday night's preseason win over the Las Vegas Raiders. However, Shanahan opted to remain tight-lipped about his personnel evaluations, giving reporters little insight into his... -
49ers' Kyle Shanahan shifts focus to regular season: "It's going to get real, real fast"
The 2026 NFL preseason is in the books, and the San Francisco 49ers finished their exhibition schedule with an 18-12 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Now, the focus shifts to the regular season, with San Francisco set to face the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, in Week... -
49ers injury news: Kyle Shanahan provides 3 key updates after win over Raiders
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke to reporters after Thursday night's 18-12 preseason win over the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium, providing three key injury updates from the game. Rookie cornerback Ephesians Prysock, a fourth-round pick in the 2026...