49ers' Kyle Shanahan takes blame for crash that left him with concussion
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has publicly accepted responsibility for a car accident in Palo Alto that resulted in his hospitalization. Police confirmed that a clerical error in an initial report incorrectly blamed the other driver, and they are currently working to rectify the record.
Why it matters
The incident involves a high-profile public figure and highlights the importance of accuracy in police reporting and the potential for administrative errors in public records.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan speaks at a news conference Thursday, May 28, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (Jeff Chiu/AP) SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan took the blame for the car crash that left him with a concussion and other injuries, saying he took his eyes off the road to reach for his fallen cell phone before hitting another vehicle.
Shanahan crashed into a 21-year-old woman driving in the other direction in Palo Alto on July 14 and was left with a concussion, broken ribs, a broken nose, a broken left hand and stitches for a large cut above his right eye. Shanahan was briefly hospitalized following the crash and hasn't been able to coach the team at the start of training camp. The other driver suffered minor injuries and did not need to be hospitalized.
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