49ers Coach Kyle Shanahan Takes Responsibility for July Car Crash Caused by Distracted Driving

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged Monday that he caused a two-vehicle collision on July 14 after taking his attention from the roadway to locate his phone, which had fallen between the seats. The California Highway Patrol database initially contained inaccurate information that attributed fault to the other driver involved in the crash, according to ESPN reporting. Shanahan called in beat reporters to set the record straight regarding his role in the accident.

Shanahan sustained severe injuries in the crash, including broken ribs, a fractured nose, a broken hand, and a significant concussion that required 40 stitches to close facial lacerations. He was traveling at approximately 20 mph at the time of impact and reported no loss of consciousness or memory loss following the incident. The 49ers head coach violated California law prohibiting cell phone use while operating a vehicle, though he was not cited for the violation.

NFL analyst Chris Simms revealed during a Monday broadcast that Shanahan came dangerously close to losing sight in his right eye based on photographs shared by Shanahan’s wife following the accident. Simms described the facial scarring as extensive and noted that Shanahan expressed emotional concern about how narrowly he avoided catastrophic injury and about the condition of the other driver involved.

General Manager John Lynch confirmed that Shanahan is undergoing concussion protocol similar to standard NFL procedures for players with head injuries. Assistant head coach Chris Foerster is temporarily handling Shanahan’s duties as the 49ers prepare for their season opener against the Los Angeles Rams on September 10 in Australia.