Simms: 49ers coach Shanahan nearly lost eye in car crash

Simms: 49ers coach Shanahan nearly lost eye in car crash

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan narrowly avoided permanent blindness following a head-on collision in Palo Alto on July 14, according to Chris Simms, a close friend and former college teammate of the coach.

Simms, an NBC Sports analyst, described the injuries as jarring after receiving photos of the accident from Shanahan's wife, Mandy. Speaking on PFT Live, Simms stated that Shanahan was this close to maybe losing his right eye and noted the presence of a significant scar.

The crash occurred at 6:12 p.m. At the intersection of Alma Street and Hamilton Avenue in a 25 miles per hour zone. Shanahan was driving a black 2023 Tesla south on Alma Street, returning from a chiropractic adjustment, when he collided with a blue 2025 Mercedes SUV traveling north. Both drivers were wearing seatbelts and both airbags deployed.

Conflicting Accounts of Fault

Reports regarding the cause of the accident vary. The California Crash Reporting System and Palo Alto police records initially indicated that Shanahan was not at fault. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that authorities believed a 21-year-old woman made an unsafe turn, causing the collision. According to police, neither driver was impaired and no citations were issued.

However, Shanahan told reporters on July 28 that he was actually at fault. He claimed the California Highway Patrol committed a clerical error attributing accident to the other driver. Shanahan explained that he briefly took his eyes off the road to find his phone, which had fallen between the seats; upon looking up, he had crossed the line into the path of the SUV. He noted he did not suffer amnesia or lose consciousness during the event.

Medical Recovery and Team Impact

The injuries sustained by the 46-year-old coach were extensive. According to sources and reports, Shanahan suffered a severe concussion, broke his nose, a hand, and three ribs, and required more than 40 stitches in his face.

The 49ers did not make the accident public until Saturday, July 25, the day training camp opened. This 11-day silence drew criticism from media figures like Dan Patrick and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who questioned if reporters had brokered a deal with the team to withhold the information. San Francisco Standard columnist Tim Kawakami defended his own reporting, stating he lacked factual backup to report the story before it was official.

Since the announcement, Shanahan has made limited appearances at practice, wearing sunglasses to hide healing black eyes and a cast on his broken left hand. He has been present for portions of the first two practices, including a 30-minute appearance on Sunday.

General manager John Lynch stated that the team is following a phased-back approach and allowing doctors to dictate the timeline. While Shanahan continues to battle lingering concussion symptoms, Lynch expressed optimism that the coach will return well before the season opener on Sept. 11 in Australia against the Rams.

Interim Leadership

Assistant head coach Chris Foerster, 64, has assumed head coaching responsibilities. Foerster, who has been with the team since 2019, said Shanahan told him to do whatever you want and delegate tasks as he saw fit.

The team's coordinators are also taking on additional duties. Lynch asserted that the organization is well-equipped for the transition and will not miss a beat due to Shanahan's development of his staff.

Support for Shanahan has come from across the league. Tennessee Titans head coach Saleh and Rams coach Sean McVay both expressed relief over his recovery. Saleh noted that the surgeon did a great job, while McVay emphasized the importance of perspective following such a traumatic event.