Ask people around the NFL, and there is a consensus that Kyle Shanahan is among the very best coaches in the entire league. His ability to put his best players in the right position on offense is special. The running scheme the San Francisco 49ers have is as good as there is in the NFL, and his offenses are always effective regardless of who the quarterback is.
For all that success, one thing that is missing from his resume is a Super Bowl win. However, he has coached in two Super Bowls, and both of them have been disappointing in their own way.
New England Patriots’ Comeback for the Ages
On Feb. 5, 2017, the Atlanta Falcons faced off against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.
The head coach for the Falcons was Dan Quinn, who is now the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator. His offensive coordinator that season was Kyle Shanahan.
The Falcons went 11-5 that season, and Shanahan was named the NFL Assistant Coach of the Year.
In the Super Bowl game, the Falcons were clicking on all cylinders early against the Patriots. The team had a 28-3 lead, in large part because the offense was playing terrific football and executing flawless gameplay.
However, as the Patriots started to make their run, the Falcons continued to be aggressive, and they were throwing incompletions. This was stopping the clock for the Patriots, who needed all the help they could get.
If the Falcons had been a little more conservative running the ball, then there may not have been enough time for the Patriots to come back and tie the game in regulation.
The game went to overtime, and the Patriots were able to get the ball first. Brady and New England now had all the momentum, and they were able to drive down the field again and score a touchdown to complete the monumental comeback.
Despite the loss, Shanahan was announced as the 49ers’ head coach the very next day. It took a couple of years to get things rolling in San Francisco, but the team made the Super Bowl during the 2019 season.
Once Again, Kyle Shanahan Can’t Keep a Fourth-Quarter Lead
The opponent in Super Bowl LIV was Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Their offense had been extremely dynamic all season long, but the 49ers’ defense was up to the challenge. The 49ers were up 24-14 midway through the fourth quarter and had the Chiefs in a 3rd-and-15 situation.
One more stop and Shanahan would be in a great position to get the Super Bowl victory. However, the Chiefs completed the now famous Jet Chip Wasp to Tyreek Hill for the huge conversion, and the team was now in business.
Travis Kelce caught a touchdown moments later, and the Chiefs were down only three points. As was the case for Shanahan against the Patriots, his team couldn’t sustain a drive, and the Chiefs once again got the ball. They went right back down the field and all of a sudden the Chiefs were leading the game.
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San Francisco had one final chance, but Jimmy Garoppolo overthrew a potential touchdown, and the Chiefs went on for the win.
Sunday gives Shanahan and San Francisco another opportunity to get to and win the big game.
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