A social media jab at Kyle Shanahan's car accident drew a rebuke from journalist Michael Silver, as the 49ers coach's recovery became the subject of online speculation just as training camp opened.
Comstock's Magazine photographer and journalist Steve Martarano posted a tweet Friday referring to Shanahan's crash as "The Kaepernick Curse," a nod to the coach's fraught history with former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Silver, a columnist for The Athletic, retweeted the post, writing that a person "crashed and was seriously injured" and suggesting the framing was out of line given the severity of what happened.
Kaepernick was released by San Francisco in 2017 after his season-long protests during the national anthem, a decision that occurred under Shanahan's watch.
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The 49ers formally addressed Shanahan's condition on Saturday. The coach was hurt in a July 14 two-vehicle crash that left him with a broken nose, three fractured ribs, a broken hand, more than 40 facial stitches and a severe concussion. The team has described the injuries only as "non-life-threatening," and the Palo Alto Police Department confirmed that neither drugs nor alcohol played a role in the collision.
General manager John Lynch, who met with reporters Saturday, said he expects Shanahan to be sidelined only through the early stages of camp, which opened that same day.
"The timeline kind of takes care of itself. He's got to meet certain markers," Lynch said, adding that he anticipates Shanahan will be cleared "long before" the 49ers open their season Sept. 10 against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia.
In the meantime, assistant head coach and offensive line coach Chris Foerster will run the team, with help from offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak, defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and special teams coordinator Brant Boyer.
NFL insider Tony Farmer raised questions about how the story became public, noting that Adam Schefter's initial report came 11 days after the crash and landed on a Saturday, a detail Farmer called "highly unusual." He suggested Shanahan's stature as a head coach may have influenced how the information was ultimately released to the public.
Shanahan, now entering his 10th season in San Francisco, carries a 91-72 record with the franchise, ranking third in team history behind only George Seifert and Bill Walsh. He has guided the 49ers to two Super Bowl appearances and two additional NFC championship game berths, and finished fifth in voting for AP Coach of the Year last season after leading the team to a 12-5 record and a playoff win despite significant roster injuries.
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