PALO ALTO — 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed details of his involvement in a two-car collision that occurred on July 14 at 6:14 p.m. at Alma Street and Hamilton Avenue.
The accident involved Shanahan's black 2023 Tesla Model S and a blue 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 driven by a 21-year-old female. Shanahan was traveling south on Alma Street while the other driver was headed north. Authorities confirmed that neither drugs nor alcohol contributed to the incident, and the other driver was not injured.
Shanahan sustained a concussion, broken nose, ribs, and injuries to his left hand due to airbag deployment. He received medical attention at Stanford Hospital, where he underwent plastic surgery.
According to the Palo Alto Police Department, there was a clerical error in the initial report, inaccurately attributing fault to the other driver. “Kyle Shanahan's statement is correct, and we are in the process of correcting that error,” police stated.
Shanahan expressed concern over the other driver being blamed, stating, “I hit her… I don't know why it was reported that way.” He clarified that he dropped his phone, causing him to look away from the road.
The 46-year-old coach has been working on a limited schedule as the 49ers opened training camp, with Assistant Head Coach Chris Foerster temporarily taking over primary responsibilities. Shanahan did not specify a timeline for his return to full duties but expressed, “I'm so much better; I know I'm going to be all right.”