The San Francisco 49ers are among the most storied and successful franchises in NFL history. Being head coach of the 49ers is a great honor, but it’s also a job that comes with immense pressure and expectations.
Let’s take a look at the current head coaching situation in San Francisco.
Who Is the Head Coach of the San Francisco 49ers?
Kyle Shanahan, son of NFL legend Mike Shanahan, is the current head coach of the 49ers.
The 44-year-old is considered one of the best coaches and offensive minds in football. Many teams have attempted to replicate the “Shanahan scheme” to varying degrees of success. The annual dominance of Shanahan’s offense has led to many 49ers assistants leaving for better jobs, including head coaching gigs in recent years.
Shanahan began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at UCLA in 2003. The next six years saw him hold various offensive coaching positions with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans.
Shanahan then worked as offensive coordinator for Washington from 2010 through 2013. He held the same job with the Cleveland Browns the following season before working as OC of the Atlanta Falcons in 2015 and 2016.
How Long Has Kyle Shanahan Been the 49ers’ Head Coach?
Shanahan was hired as head coach of the 49ers in 2017 and has held the job ever since. Although he hasn’t technically served as San Francisco’s offensive coordinator, Shanahan has been the mastermind behind the 49ers offense.
MORE: Current Head Coaches | Longest Tenured Coaches
Once the 2024 season ends, Shanahan will be tied with George Seifert and Dick Nolan as the second-longest-tenured head coaches in franchise history.
Who Was the Head Coach Before Shanahan?
Here’s the full history of 49ers head coaches:
- 1946-54: Buck Shaw
- 1955: Red Strader
- 1956-58: Frankie Albert
- 1959-63: Red Hickey
- 1963-67: Jack Christiansen
- 1968-75: Dick Nolan
- 1976: Monte Clark
- 1977: Ken Meyer
- 1978: Pete McCulley
- 1978: Fred O’Connor
- 1979-1988: Bill Walsh
- 1989-96: George Seifert
- 1997-2002: Steve Mariucci
- 2003-04: Dennis Erickson
- 2005-08: Mike Nolan
- 2008-10: Mike Singletary
- 2010: Jim Tomsula (interim)
- 2011-14: Jim Harbaugh
- 2015: Jim Tomsula
- 2016: Chip Kelly
- 2017-present: Kyle Shanahan
What Is Shanahan’s Record With the 49ers?
Through the 2023 season, Shanahan had a 64-51 record as head coach of the 49ers. He also owned an 8-4 postseason record, giving him an overall record of 72-55. Shanahan’s record will be updated at the end of the 2024 season.
Has Shanahan Ever Won a Super Bowl?
Shanahan hasn’t led the 49ers to a Super Bowl title, although the franchise has competed in two Super Bowls during his tenure.
San Francisco lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV and lost to Kansas City again in Super Bowl LVIII. The 49ers also competed in the NFC Championship Game in 2021 and 2022, losing to the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively.
The 49ers have won three NFC West titles during Shanahan’s tenure.