The 2025 NFL season outlook seemed increasingly bleak for the 49ers as injuries have piled up.
Yet, San Francisco stands at 7-4 after Week 11.
Kyle Shanahan deserves credit for the team’s success and should contend for the NFL Coach of the Year award, according to some national pundits.
Mike Vrabel, Ben Johnson and Shane Steichen are rightful front runners. But Kyle Shanahan should be in the mix—49ers are in a tough division, lost Bosa and Warner for the year, had no Kittle to start the year, no Purdy for a stretch, still waiting on Aiyuk.
And they’re 7-4. https://t.co/mUkpr7lI6x
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) November 17, 2025
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer and NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt say Shanahan’s ability to keep the 49ers afloat puts him into consideration for the honor. They aren’t the first to give praise for Shanahan’s performance this season.
Breer points out that the NFC West is a tough division this season, with three teams currently holding NFL playoff positions in the standings. San Francisco holds a 4-1 division record, its sole loss coming in Week 10 against the 8-2 Los Angeles Rams.
Star quarterback Brock Purdy has missed most of the season with a toe injury. In his Week 11 return against the Arizona Cardinals, the 49ers’ offense scored a season-high 41 points.
Shanahan also is missing stars on the defensive side, with both defensive end Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner out for the season due to injury.
Despite these mitigating factors to success, Shanahan already has eclipsed his 2024 win total, when the 49ers finished with a 6-11 record and missed the playoffs.
Per Fanatics Sportsbook, Shanahan currently holds the seventh-best odds (+2500) to win the NFL Coach of the Year award.
In his time as 49ers coach, Shanahan finished second in the award voting in both the 2019 and 2022 seasons.
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