NFL Coach Nearly Lost An Eye In Horrific Car Crash

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan suffered multiple broken bones and nearly lost an eye in a serious car crash earlier this month, according to the team and longtime friend, NFL analyst Chris Simms. 

The 49ers announced Saturday that Shanahan will have a limited role during training camp after breaking his nose, hand, and three ribs while requiring 40 stitches to his face, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.

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The July 14 crash occurred near Shanahan’s Northern California home when his vehicle collided with an SUV. Authorities said the other driver was not injured, both drivers cooperated, and neither showed signs of impairment or was cited. 

General manager John Lynch said the team will let doctors determine when Shanahan can fully return. 

“Kyle basically is going to be like in the protocol. We’re going to let the doctors dictate how he comes back, when he comes back,” Lynch said. “He’s been in the building, so we’ve seen him. It’s kind of like we do with our players: a phased-back approach. Number one for Kyle and the Shanahan family is getting him back right.”

Former NFL quarterback and current NBC Sports football analyst Chris Simms explained during a Monday appearance on “PFT Live” that his close friend Shanahan almost lost his eye in the accident. Simms said Mandy Shanahan, Kyle’s wife, sent him pictures of the injuries just 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 said.

“He was emotional about it, because he realized how close it was to being just a complete, you know, utter disaster,” he added. “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 handling that situation. So there’s just a lot there. And I think it was a lot for him to process.”

With no timetable for Shanahan’s return, assistant head coach Chris Foerster will take over as the acting head coach.

Shanahan has coached the 49ers since 2017 after previously serving as offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons. He is the son of legendary head coach Mike Shanahan, who led the Denver Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowl victories.