Kyle Shanahan admits causing car crash after looking for phone while driving

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan admitted he was at fault for the car crash he was involved in on July 14, which led to numerous injuries that have him limited at training camp.

Shanahan called beat reporters into his office on Monday to clarify that he was the one who caused the accident. The California Highway Patrol database had a “clerical error” attributing the accident to the woman involved in the two-car crash, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.

“He took eyes off the road briefly to find his phone which fell between seats and when he looked up he had gone over the line and into an SUV,” Wagoner wrote on X.

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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan watches from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa, Florida, on Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

Shanahan was in violation of holding and operating a cell phone while driving, but he wasn’t cited for it following the crash.

Reporters who spoke with Shanahan also mentioned him saying he didn’t lose consciousness or have any amnesia after the accident. He also noted he was traveling 20 mph at the time of the crash.

ESPN’s initial report of the crash said the woman didn’t suffer any injuries, but Shanahan sustained broken ribs, a broken nose and broken hand, while also suffering a severe concussion. Additionally, he needed 40 stitches to close cuts on his face.

KYLE SHANAHAN ‘THIS CLOSE’ TO LOSING HIS RIGHT EYE IN HORRIBLE CAR CRASH, NFL ANALYST REVEALS

During a Monday taping of “PFT Live,” Chris Simms, a close friend of Shanahan, revealed the 49ers coach nearly lost his right eye after viewing pictures sent to him by Shanahan’s wife after the crash.

“When you first see it, and it’s fresh, and some of the cuts are still wide open, I mean, it’s jarring,” Simms explained. “It’s jarring.

“He was this close to maybe losing his right eye.”

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan speaks at a news conference after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams in Santa Clara, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Simms pointed to his forehead when he said, “The scar is so big right here.” He also said that Shanahan was feeling emotional about the situation when they were able to connect.

“He was emotional about it because he realized how close it was to being just a complete, you know, utter disaster,” Simms said. “Like, really, it was a disaster anyways. But, when you’re a part of that accident, like I said, he could have lost his right eye. It could have been a lot worse. You know, he’s very concerned about the woman he got in the accident with and how she is and handling that situation. So there’s just a lot there. And I think it was a lot for him to process.”

GM John Lynch said that, “Kyle basically is going to be like in the protocol,” in reference to his concussion. Simms said it is giving him “some issues” he must deal with through the healing process.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, left, reacts next to defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, middle, during the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Santa Clara, California, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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While Shanahan serves his team on a limited basis, Chris Foerster, the 49ers’ assistant head coach, is acting in his place.

The 49ers open the season against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 10 in the first-ever game played in Australia.

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