Kyle Shanahan Divorced His Wife
The San Francisco 49ers head coach, Kyle Shanahan, divorced his wife due to the problem
For the fourth time in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s seven-year tenure, the San Francisco 49ers are back in the NFC title game. That’s certainly an accomplishment, but you have to win the big one at some point. It won’t be long before people start speculating out loud about Shanahan’s chances of winning the Super Bowl. This is the reason the current Niners run is so significant.
Nor is that an overstatement. In addition to being impatient, Shanahan can’t afford to be overly patient at quarterback as he prepares for his eighth season as the Niners’ coach in the autumn. There’s a chance Brock Purdy won’t carry the entire load in Sunday’s NFC championship game, but he will be asked to step up occasionally. As Stillman said above, he’s probably out if he gives in to pressure and SF loses their third straight championship game.
Shanahan’s Niners don’t have to win this game to win it all, but if they lose again—especially on Sunday—things might get heated by the Bay very quickly. San Francisco has had incredible success during the last five years. They haven’t done anything except raise the sixth Lombardi Trophy. They have, however, come very close and, with the exception of one year, have finished among the NFL’s final four.
Something will therefore need to change if the 49ers are not able to win this postseason. Not just yet; it won’t be Shanahan. He has been among the league’s top coaches, if not the best, especially during the last three years, barring a Super Bowl triumph. Shanahan and his team have stayed relevant in late January despite having doubts about their quarterbacking.
Is Shanahan under pressure?
At the very least, there will be speculation about his switching to center field if the Niners are unable to win this season. Many consider Purdy to be a game manager, despite his outstanding play in just his second season and his inclusion in the MVP race for the majority of the season. Even though Jimmy Garoppolo won a bunch of games while in San Francisco, that was the knock on him.
In Super Bowl LIV, Jimmy G’s deficiencies were clearly visible as the Niners played the Chiefs. Garoppolo’s failure to produce a play in the fourth quarter was a contributing factor in the game’s loss. Garoppolo handled flawless situations well, but if he was pushed off-square even slightly, the occasion got out of control. That’s the nagging concern most people have about Purdy. Will Purdy be able to answer the phone as the occasions grow more significant, or will he collapse like the lawn chair Jimmy G frequently plays?
The most memorable play by Purdy was his four-interception game on Christmas against Baltimore. Purdy had multiple passes intercepted in three of the Niners’ four regular-season losses. After losing three games in a row in October, San Francisco bounced back, winning their next six before facing the Ravens. If the 49ers get past the Lions, a rematch may be in store. Hopefully, they learned a lot of lessons from that defeat.
However, Shanahan is under increasing pressure to overcome this setback, so this is a big game for him. There are just four teams with five Super Bowl victories, including the 49ers. San Francisco has appeared in two since it was last won, but it has been about thirty years since then. Still, the objective is to win, not to get there. After a few more second-place (or worse) results, it could be time for the management and coach to have a difficult discussion. Though we’re not quite there yet, Shanahan and the Niners must succeed.
