At 9-4 heading into their bye week, the San Francisco 49ers are right in the thick of the NFC race, and yet somehow, Kyle Shanahan’s name remains buried in the NFL Coach of the Year conversation. That’s not just surprising-it’s borderline baffling when you consider what this team has endured and accomplished in 2025.
Let’s be clear: Coach of the Year often goes to the guy who steers a struggling team into contention. And this season, the buzz is around names like Mike Vrabel in New England and Ben Johnson in Chicago-both worthy candidates, no doubt.
Vrabel has the Patriots looking like a top seed in the AFC in his first year at the helm, reviving a franchise that’s been in a post-Brady-Belichick haze. Johnson, meanwhile, has turned the Bears from perennial punchline into legitimate contenders, with Caleb Williams starting to look like the real deal in year two.
But here’s the thing-just because Shanahan’s 49ers didn’t come into the season as a rebuild project doesn’t mean his work should be overlooked. In fact, what he’s done might be even more impressive because of the adversity the Niners have faced and how seamlessly they’ve continued to win through it.
Let’s talk about the injuries. This hasn’t been a smooth ride for San Francisco.
They lost two of their defensive cornerstones-Fred Warner and Nick Bosa-both critical to the identity of this defense. That’s not just a couple of starters going down; that’s the heart and soul of your unit.
And yet, the defense didn’t collapse. Credit defensive coordinator Robert Saleh for keeping the group sharp and competitive-he’s likely to be a hot name in the head-coaching carousel this offseason for a reason.
Offensively, it’s been just as turbulent. Brock Purdy missed significant time with a turf toe injury, and George Kittle was sidelined for multiple weeks.
The receiving corps has been banged up, and the offensive line has had to shuffle pieces around. That’s not a recipe for consistency, and yet, here they are-9-4 and squarely in the playoff picture.
This isn’t just about surviving-it’s about thriving under pressure. Shanahan has kept the 49ers focused, disciplined, and dangerous, even when key players were missing.
That’s not easy in this league, where momentum can swing wildly from week to week. It’s the kind of coaching job that should be getting more attention.
George Kittle said it best recently: if you told people before the season that San Francisco would be sitting where they are now, with all the injuries and setbacks, most would’ve laughed. But here they are, thanks in large part to the steady hand of Shanahan and the staff he’s built around him.
And still, his name is nowhere near the top of the Coach of the Year odds.
Maybe that’s just the nature of the award. It often rewards the biggest turnaround, not necessarily the best coaching job. And if the vote were in the hands of players or other coaches-people who understand the grind, the game-planning, the locker room dynamics-Shanahan might already have a trophy on his shelf.
He’s come close before. Back in 2019, when he led the Niners to a 13-3 record and the No. 1 seed, many thought that was his moment.
Instead, the award went to John Harbaugh, who had a phenomenal season with the Ravens. Fair enough.
But it’s hard to shake the feeling that Shanahan’s consistent excellence gets taken for granted.
Of course, if you ask Shanahan, he probably couldn’t care less about individual accolades. He’s chasing the one prize that has eluded him so far-a Super Bowl ring. He’s been on the doorstep twice, and this season, despite all the hurdles, he’s got his team in position to make another run.
Coach of the Year or not, Shanahan’s work in 2025 has been nothing short of elite. And if the 49ers keep pushing forward, don’t be surprised if they’re the team nobody wants to see come January.