Kyle Shanahan's absence will undoubtedly be felt by the San Francisco 49ers. The question is how much it will affect them on the field. His absence will obviously be felt much more if he were to miss games, but how about training camp?

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Shanahan suffered significant injuries in a July 14 car accident near his Northern California home. The 49ers head coach reportedly broke his nose, suffered three broken ribs and a hand injury, required more than 40 stitches to his face and sustained a severe concussion. That concussion appears to be the most concerning of his injuries.


Before I go any further, let me be clear that I'm thankful Shanahan is okay. His health and well-being are far more important than football. So when I ask how the team will look during his absence, I'm certainly not trying to downplay the serious nature of this event.

Reportedly, as the 49ers prepare to open training camp, Shanahan will be limited as he recovers. We don't know how long he will miss. It could be a few days to a few weeks. It could be longer. It's possible he could miss that week one trip to Australia (though that seems unlikely).

This is obviously not an ideal situation for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. Shanahan is far more than just the team's head coach. He's the architect of the offense, the play-caller and the person ultimately responsible for the team's preparation and in-game decisions.

The biggest concern will come when the games actually begin. But it's hard to fathom Shanahan missing part of the season. Still, having your head coach miss a portion, or potentially all, of training camp is distressing. Shanahan's value often shows up in the details, and game plans are already being established.

If he's unable to be fully involved, there will be a void. But the 49ers are also in a better position than most teams to handle it. Let's take a look at why the 49ers can weather this storm.


Veteran leadership


This is a veteran football team that knows Shanahan's system and understands what is expected of it. The 49ers aren't starting over. They have been through the fire of seasons past and have established leaders throughout the roster and players who have been through the highest-pressure situations the NFL has to offer.

On Saturday, GM John Lynch noted that star LB Fred Warner already grabbed the torch for his coach, telling Shanahan, "We got this, coach. We've got this. Trust us." Leadership like that makes me confident this team will be okay. Lynch also added, "And so, absolutely, the Trent Williams, the Kyle Juszczyks, the Fred Warners, Christian McCaffreys, Brock Purdys, we've got tremendous leadership."

Strong coaching staff and front office leadership


Raheem Morris brings experience as a former NFL head coach. So does Matt Eberflus. Klay Kubiak understands the offensive system and can help maintain continuity on that side of the ball. Assistant head coach Chris Foerster can also play a critical role in overseeing the team while Shanahan works his way back. Other coaches with years of experience can help lead the way, like Jerry Gray, Bobby Turner, Brant Boyer, Johnny Holland, and Kris Kocurek. That's a lot of excellent coaches and a ton of experience to lean on.

And the goal hasn't changed. The 49ers are still focused on winning a championship. Lynch added on Saturday, "We're not blinking. Our job is to be at our best. This team has had a focus all offseason that I've been very excited about. I know that we've improved our team, but what gives me a ton of confidence is our approach. And so, prior to this, the approach, the readiness, the preparation to be at our best, we understand that we play in a tremendous division that's going to be incredibly competitive."

Greater motivation for everyone


It's crazy to think that NFL players need more motivation, especially when you have players like Brock Purdy playing with a chip on his shoulder, or George Kittle pushing hard to return, or Christian McCaffrey and Mike Evans striving to prove they still can play at a Pro Bowl level. But players look for reasons to inspire themselves and each other to push a little harder all the time. And this will add fuel to the fire.


When Bill Walsh retired after the 1988 season, the 49ers won the Super Bowl the following year with George Seifert as their head coach. They later admitted they were motivated to prove they could win it without Walsh. That wasn't a disrespect to Walsh. But they wanted to show they could do it without him, just as they had with him.

I'm not saying Shanahan is Walsh, and I'm certainly not comparing the current 49ers to the 1988-1989 back-to-back Super Bowl champs. But this team is filled with veteran leaders looking for a reason to push each other, and their young teammates, to greater things.

For much of the offseason, there has been ample concern about the fact that this team is one of the oldest in the league. But this can actually be an advantage in times like this. Being forced to "circle the wagons" so early in training camp could help build a tightness and a unity that might not happen otherwise.

The 49ers are unquestionably better with Shanahan healthy and on the sideline. But this shouldn't be viewed as something that has to derail their season. San Francisco has the coaching depth, veteran leadership and organizational stability to navigate a temporary setback.

Shanahan's absence will be noticeable. But it doesn't have to be crippling.

Written By:

Marc Adams


Speaker. Writer. Covering the San Francisco 49ers. Host of the 49ers Camelot show.
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