Middlekauff Calls Kyle Shanahan 49ers' Most Vital Health Concern After $90 Million Injury Toll
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 4
Middlekauff Calls Kyle Shanahan 49ers' Most Vital Health Concern After $90 Million Injury Toll
2 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 4
Summary
John Middlekauff said Kyle Shanahan's health matters more to the 49ers than any player's after the coach suffered a concussion and other injuries in a car accident.
Shanahan is expected to recover in time to call plays, but Middlekauff argued the coach functions like an NBA superstar because his presence keeps San Francisco's floor high.
$90 million in 2025 injury losses and another major setback in 2026 — Ricky Pearsall's season-ending PCL injury — frame why Shanahan's condition has drawn outsized attention.
San Francisco's recent injury run has repeatedly hit its core, including Brock Purdy's 2022 UCL tear, Christian McCaffrey's 2024 Achilles and PCL issues, and Fred Warner's 12-game absence in 2025.