Kyle Shanahan isn’t worried about family legacy ahead of Super Bowl LVIII

Feb 9, 2024, 10:20 AM | Updated: 10:37 am

Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with his father, Mike Shanahan, afte...

Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

San Francisco 49ers Beat Writer

Super Bowl LVIII might mean more for the 49ers’ legacy than the Chiefs. But for Kyle Shanahan, it’s about winning the game more than anything.

The son of three-time Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Shanahan, Kyle has been around the game of football his entire life. He joined his dad when he took over with the Denver Broncos, serving as his assistant at the age of 18 in 1999. Alongside his Dad, Kyle experienced two Super Bowl wins that jumpstarted a coaching career later in life.

Now 25 years later, the younger Shanahan has the chance to add to his family’s legacy in the NFL. But that’s not on Kyle’s mind, worried about winning one game at a time on his journey.

Kyle Shanahan was asked what he wants his legacy to look like 🔽 pic.twitter.com/JbMifcDRe2

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) February 8, 2024

“I never thought about legacy, when I think of legacy I think of my Dad,” Kyle Shanahan said. “It just doesn’t work that way with me…you’re just trying to win that game, that game is always the next one. And we’re finally in a game that is the last one of the year, these are the ones that count.”

The 41-year-old coach understands what’s at stake though, especially given the narrative since he came to San Francisco.

The chance to finally secure the sixth Lombardi Trophy for the Red & Gold has been a daunting task for this regime. Losing to the Kansas City Chiefs four years prior in the Super Bowl, then dropping two consecutive NFC Championship games sticks out like a sore thumb for the 49ers.

But for Kyle Shanahan, the past is in the rear-view mirror, the same as his father’s legacy. For now.

“Yeah, you understand that [narrative], you’re aware of it. That’s stuff that you don’t really have time to think about,” Kyle stated.

As for what Kyle is thinking about, that’s simple: Going for broke on the biggest stage of them all, looking to leave Las Vegas with the weight of 30 years off their backs.

Kyle has been known to overthink game plans in past playoff appearances, allowing the opposition to get the better of him. It almost happened twice this postseason, having to rally back to punch their ticket to Super Bowl LVIII.

Now that he’s here, however, the last two games don’t matter as much. What does matter is going out on Super Bowl Sunday with no stones unturned, leaving with no regrets.

“Narrative, good or bad, is just a narrative. And that’s my biggest thing with everything. When you go into these games, what makes you prepare, I just don’t want regrets,” Kyle Shanahan explained. “I just want to do everything that makes sense to myself, that makes sense for our team. And when you do that, that’s what I have found, no matter how hard something is, or good something is, you always keep perspective of what it really is. If you want your perspective to be someone else’s narrative, good luck being happy in life or successful.”