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Kyle Shanahan on track to coach 49ers’ preseason debut

By Thomson Reuters Aug 9, 2026 | 9:58 AM

San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said he expects to be on the field Thursday when the 49ers open their preseason against the Tennessee ​Titans.

His role with the 49ers has been ‌limited in training camp so far. He has been recovering from a concussion and other injuries suffered in a July 14 car crash.

The accident occurred in Palo Alto, Calif. Shanahan, who was driving ‌a ​Tesla on autopilot, said earlier ⁠this week he was at ⁠fault. The driver of the other car was not injured.

His chat with reporters at an unscheduled news conference on Saturday was his first of the summer. ​He said he decided to talk because he “just felt like doing it.”

That’s a good sign for Shanahan, ⁠who still wears a cast on ⁠his broken left hand. He also suffered ​broken ribs, and a large cut on his face required ​multiple stitches.

“I can’t tell you guys how close ‌it is. I’m getting there. And I will be there,” Shanahan said about the game against the Titans.

Shanahan spoke to the team on Aug. 1.

“The team meeting was ⁠a big step for me,” Shanahan said. “As far as the important stuff, I feel like it’s 100 percent.”

Shanahan, 46, will ⁠begin his 10th ‌season as head coach in San Francisco. ⁠He owns an 82-67 record in the ​regular ‌season. He has a 9-5 postseason record ​and has ⁠guided the 49ers to a pair of Super Bowl appearances — losing to the Kansas City Chiefs both times (2020, 2024).

The 49ers begin the season with an NFC West showdown with the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 10 in Melbourne, ​Australia.

–Field Level Media