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See the full story · 5 sourcesWhat caused Kyle Shanahan's car accident? New details emerge on crash involving 49ers coach originally appeared on The Sporting News .
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The 49ers are no strangers to dealing with injuries, but they began training camp with an unusual absence: their head coach.
Kyle Shanahan continues to recover from a "severe concussion" he suffered in a car crash earlier in July, among other injuries, meaning assistant head coach Chris Foerster is in the lead role for the time being.
Days after the accident was first reported, new details are starting to come to light.
Here's what we know about Shanahan's serious car crash.
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Kyle Shanahan car accident details
Shanahan suffered injuries in a car crash on July 14, when his vehicle collided with an SUV not far from his home in Palo Alto. The 49ers coach was hospitalized but was able to be released the same day despite dealing with multiple fractures and a "severe" concussion.
No one involved in the crash was cited or charged; Palo Alto police lieutenant Nicholas Martinez said drugs and alcohol were not a factor. Both drivers were wearing seatbelts, and airbags in both vehicles deployed. Still, Shanahan was the only one who suffered serious injuries.
The crash remained shielded from public knowledge until the 49ers made an announcement on Saturday, July 25, 11 days after it happened. Details were initially murky, but more information regarding the cause of the crash has come to light:
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Who caused Kyle Shanahan's car accident?
Sports Illustrated's Grant Cohn reported Shanahan was holding and using a cellphone at the time of the crash, citing public information available in California. While records show the other driver was determined to be at fault for swerving into Shanahan's lane, the 49ers coach is disputing that and claiming responsibility.
Shanahan told reporters Tuesday that a "clerical error" places the blame on the other driver, admitting he reached for his phone after it fell between the seats and took his eyes off the road.
#49ers coach Kyle Shanahan just spent some time describing the events of July 14. He wanted to clarify right up front that the accident was his fault. He took eyes off the road briefly to find his phone which fell between seats and when he looked up he had gone over the line and…
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) July 28, 2026 Using or holding a cellphone while driving is typically grounds for a citation under California law, but it's considered a minor citation with a minuscule penalty. Shanahan wasn't punished in any way, which was originally believed to be the result of police finding the other driver to be at fault.
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Was Kyle Shanahan hurt during car accident?
Shanahan suffered multiple significant injuries as a result of the crash. The 49ers coach broke his nose, three ribs and his hand, while also suffering a "severe" concussion and receiving 40 stitches in his face.
Days after the accident was first reported, NBC analyst and Shanahan family friend Chris Simms revealed the extent of the coach's injuries.
"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 on "PFT Live," describing receiving pictures of the aftermath.
Simms said Shanahan was "this close" to losing one of his eyes, as the gash that required stitches in his eye just narrowly avoided doing even more damage.
"Like, really, it was a disaster anyways. But you know, when you're that part of that accident, like I said, he could have lost his right eye," Simms added. "It could have been a lot worse."
The concussion is what's holding Shanahan back from fully participating in team activities, as he has yet to be cleared as he recovers slowly from what has been described as a "severe" injury.
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