Police audio released this weekend reveals some of the details about the car accident that San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan was involved in about a week ago.
Shanahan smashed up his SUV near his Palo Alto, California, home just after 6 p.m. on July 14 and suffered several serious, but not life-threatening, injuries, including a concussion, 40 stitches to his face, a broken nose, hand, and three broken ribs, CBS Sports reported.
The coach, now entering his tenth season with the 49ers, was treated and released and has continued to participate in team activities when possible.
The accident was between his Tesla and a Mercedes SUV, according to the dispatch audio, the California Post reported. And responding officers were told that “There are reports of one driver bleeding from the head.”
Palo Alto Police Dept. spokesperson Lt. Nicolas Martin later told the press that neither driver showed any “impairment.”
The police dept. also said neither driver was cited, and added “There will be no information released regarding the cause of the collision or who was at fault.”
Niners general manager John Lynch added that Shanahan will not be able to perform all his duties in this summer’s training camp thanks to his injuries.
“Kyle basically is going to be like in the protocol,” Lynch explained. “Doc [Anthony Saglimbeni] and all the great doctors we have are giving him great care, and we’re going to let you know [his] condition… the doctors dictate how he comes back, when he comes back.”
Assistant head coach Chris Foerster will fill in for Shanahan until he can return.
The 49ers are set to play their first game in Melbourne, Australia, on Sept. 10 against the Rams.
Shanahan has become one of the NFL’s top coaches since coming on with the 49ers in 2017. He’s earned an 82-67 (.550) regular-season record and 9-5 in the playoffs. San Francisco has made two Super Bowl appearances and is coming off a 12-5 regular-season campaign in 2025 that ended with a divisional-round loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
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