Kyle Shanahan is not to blame for the Super Bowl LVII loss to the San Francisco 49ers

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco 49ers are the most misunderstood and misperceived organization in the NFL. Every season, I hear the national media’s skepticism about their quarterback – Brock Purdy in this case – talk about everything Kyle Shanahan hasn’t accomplished or accomplished as a head coach, or whatever else is “wrong” with the 49ers and why them. won’t win the NFC or you’re not a Super Bowl contender.

All of this in the national press is as giddy and spun as Kyle Shanahan’s offensive scheme. But here it differs. Kyle Shanahan is a masterful signal caller, second best in my rankings behind Andy Reid. The offense that Shanahan runs in San Francisco is the most aesthetically pleasing to watch in the NFL. The level of detail and execution on the plays the 49ers offense runs is incredible. They have the most talented offense in the NFL, and that’s because every player has mastered the details of Shanahan’s offense. Of course, Brock Purdy can play quarterback for Kyle Shanahan. Because he’s humble, hardworking and attentive to the details of Shanahan’s offense. Not every defender can be like that.

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Here’s another misconception when it comes to the 49ers, especially Kyle Shanahan: Shanahan is not to blame for the 49ers losing Super Bowl LVIII. Four months later, I still believe that.

The national media will continue to tell you how Kyle Shanahan had double-digit leads in both Super Bowls he was the head coach of the 49ers and how he is to blame for the Falcons blowing a 28 lead -3 in Super Bowl LI. Regardless of the success the 49ers have had under Kyle Shanahan, the narrative in the national media continues to be that Shanahan can’t win the big one.

Here’s what the national media won’t tell you, but I will: Kyle Shanahan is not to blame for the 49ers’ Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs. In fact, the 49ers’ defense is to blame. And Shanahan firing defensive coordinator Steve Wilks after Super Bowl LVIII was the right decision.

The 49ers’ identity is on defense. Even though Shanahan’s offenses have become one of the best in the NFL, the 49ers’ defense has always been the team’s strength during Shanahan’s seven seasons as a head coach. On their two Super Bowl teams, the 49ers had two pro players in 2019 and three last season. In Super Bowl LIV, the 49ers led the Chiefs 20–10 midway through the fourth quarter. Their defense, which ranked eighth in scoring and second in yards allowed per game in 2019, gave up 21 points in the fourth quarter. Last February, the 49ers’ defense had not one, not two, but three chances to close out Super Bowl LVIII after taking the lead in the fourth quarter and into overtime. But the 49ers defense, one that ranked third in scoring and eighth in yards allowed per game, couldn’t shut down the Chiefs.

When will the national media realize that the 49ers’ defense, not Shanahan’s offense, is to blame for blowing double-digit leads in Super Bowls LIV and LVIII? Plus, don’t forget that the 49ers trailed the Rams 17-7 in the 2021 NFC Championship before allowing the Rams to score 13 points in the fourth quarter for a 20-17 victory. All I heard after that game was how Shanahan had once again blown a double digit lead in a championship game. We haven’t heard anything about how the 49ers’ defense, which ranked ninth in scoring and third in yards allowed per game in 2021, gave up 13 points in the fourth quarter. Not to mention an interception that was flagrantly dropped in that fourth quarter.

This past Super Bowl was telling. How does a defense with Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, Fred Warner, Charvarius Ward not find a way on three separate occasions to shut down the Chiefs? And for criticizing Kyle Shanahan for firing defensive coordinator Steve Wilks after Super Bowl LVIII; he is justified in having done it.

The 49ers’ defense leaked oil all the way to Super Bowl LVIII. Consider that the 49ers’ defense has held opponents to less than 300 yards in six of its first 11 games. But in their last six regular-season games, two playoff games and Super Bowl LVIII, the 49ers have held opponents to under 300 yards in just two of them. That includes giving up 442 and 445 yards to the Lions and Chiefs in the NFC Championship and Super Bowl LVIII, respectively. Additionally, the 49ers also allowed 436 yards to the Cardinals in Week 15. The 49ers’ defense allowed 400 or more yards in five games last season, two of which came in the two the biggest games of the season. Including the playoffs, the 49ers have allowed 100 or more yards in six of their last seven games. That stretch includes 234 rushing yards allowed by the Cardinals, who finished 4-13 in 2023, and 182 by the Lions in the NFC championship game. Does the national media still think Kyle Shanahan is to blame for the 49ers losing Super Bowl LVIII?

Even in 2019, the 49ers’ defense leaked oil leading up to Super Bowl LIV. After allowing just 198 yards to the Packers in Week 12, the 49ers’ defense has allowed 300 yards or more in five of its last eight games, including the playoffs. That stretch includes 465 yards allowed to the Saints, 395 yards allowed to the Rams and 397 yards allowed to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. Does the national media still think Kyle Shanahan is to blame for the 49ers losing Super Bowl LIV?

Speaking of Shanahan, let’s look at his aesthetically pleasing offense. We’ll start with last year’s offense, which ranked third in scoring and second in yards per game. Including the playoffs, the 49ers have gained 400 yards or more 11 times. Their highest total was 527 yards in Week 14 against Seattle. The 49ers have only gained less than 300 yards once in 2023, and that was when they gained just 215 against the NFL-leading Browns in Week 6. Additionally, the 49ers they had only one game in which they rushed for less than 100 yards.

And Brock Purdy — who the national media will tell you is a product of Shanahan’s system and that’s why he’s good — had just one game in which he threw for less than 200 yards in 2023. In in case you’re wondering, Purdy had five 300-yard games in 2023. He had five games with three or more touchdown passes and 12 games without an interception. 10 of his 16 regular season starts saw Purdy complete at least 70 percent of his passes. After looking at the seasons of the other three quarterbacks who will play in the conference championship Sunday in 2023 — Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Jared Goff — I’d put Purdy’s season up against any of them.

Let’s look at the 49ers offense in 2019. They ranked second in scoring and fourth in yards per game. The 49ers had six games in which they put up 400 yards or more and two games in which they put up 500 yards or more. Their highest total was 571 yards against the Bengals in Week 2. There were only two games in which the 49ers gained less than 300 yards, four games in which they rushed for less than 100 yards and four games in which they rushed for 200 yards or more. Their quarterback was Jimmy Garoppolo and he had a very good season. He had three games with 300 or more passing yards, four games with three or more touchdowns and had 11 games in which he completed 70 percent of his passes.

The national media will continue to tell you that Kyle Shanahan is to blame for the 49ers losing Super Bowl LVIII. I disagree. The 49ers had three straight scoring chances in the fourth quarter and overtime to give their defense, which had three Pros and four Pro Bowlers in 2023, three chances to shut down the Chiefs. Their defense couldn’t do it, and the 2023 Chiefs offense wasn’t nearly as good as the one the 49ers faced in Super Bowl LIV. And the 49ers defense in that Super Bowl gave up 21 fourth quarter points to the Chiefs. However, the national media will tell you that Kyle Shanahan is to blame for the loss in Super Bowl LIV in addition to Super Bowl LVIII.

I won’t excuse the 49ers for not knowing the new Playoff and Super Bowl overtime rules. He should have known them. But I agree with their decision to take the ball first. Their logic was that if they got the third ball, they were going to win. They trusted their defense to stop, or at least hold, Kansas City to a field goal after they got the first possession and scored.

That way, if the game continued after both teams had possession, the 49ers would have the ball next. But their defense couldn’t get a stop. The national media doesn’t focus on it. I am anyway. Kyle Shanahan is not to blame for the 49ers losing Super Bowl LVIII.

Does the national media remember the gutsy call he made to go on 4th&3 from the Kansas City 15 yard line with 12:46 to play in the 4th quarter? San Francisco was down 13-10 at the time, meaning a field goal would have tied the game. But the 49ers converted on fourth down and then scored a touchdown to take a 16-13 lead. You don’t hear about that part of Super Bowl LVIII. And don’t you hear that the 49ers defense couldn’t stop the Chiefs not once, not twice, but three times. You don’t hear all this from the national media. But you’ll hear me credit Kyle Shanahan for going on fourth down and firing defensive coordinator Steve Wilks after Super Bowl LVIII. Wilks’ defense and their inability to get a stop on three separate occasions – two of which a stop would have won the 49ers Super Bowl LVIII – is why the 49ers lost Super Bowl LVIII. Kyle Shanahan is not to blame for the 49ers losing Super Bowl LVIII. That’s how I felt a few days after Super Bowl LVIII, and that’s how I feel almost four months later.