San Francisco 49ers Coaches

Kyle Shanahan was named the 20th head coach of the San Francisco 49ers on February 6, 2017. Shanahan signed a multi-year contract extension with the 49ers on June 15, 2020.

In 2019, he was named Coach of the Year by Sporting News and NFC Coach of the Year by the Committee of 101 after leading the 49ers to a 13-3 regular season record, the NFC West Division Title and an appearance in Super Bowl LIV. San Francisco’s nine-win improvement from 2018 to 2019 was the largest win improvement from one season to the next in franchise history. The 49ers became one of three teams since the NFL switched to a 12-team playoff format in 1990 to finish 4-12 or worse one season followed by earning the number one seed in its conference the next season (1999 St. Louis Rams & 2016 Dallas Cowboys).

Richard Hightower is in his 14th season in the NFL and fourth as the 49ers special teams coordinator. He returned to San Francisco in 2017 after previously serving as assistant special teams coach with the team in 2015.

From 2017-19, the 49ers kicking unit ranked first in the NFL in made field goals (102) and fourth in field goal percentage (89.5). In addition, San Francisco’s punt coverage ranked second over that timespan, holding opponent punt returns to an average of 5.7 yards per return (Ind. – 5.0).

McDaniel, 37, will enter his fifth season with the 49ers in 2021 after spending the previous four years with the team as the run game coordinator (2018-20) and run game specialist (2017).  

Over the last two seasons (2019-20), San Francisco’s offense has averaged 131.1 rushing yards per game, ranking sixth in the NFL over that span. The team finished the 2019 season ranked second in the NFL and first in the NFC in that same category, averaging 144.1 rushing yards per game. The 49ers 42 rushing touchdowns since 2019 are tied for the third-most in the NFL, and tied for the most in the NFC, in that span.

DeMeco Ryans, 36, will enter his fifth season with the 49ers in 2021 after spending the previous four years with the team as the inside linebackers coach (2018-20) and a defensive quality control coach (2017).

Over the past three seasons, Ryans has worked closely with LB Fred Warner, who has led the team in tackles each year. In 2020, he earned AP First-Team All-Pro honors and the first Pro Bowl selection of his career. Warner led the 49ers with a career-high 125 tackles and was one of two players in the NFL with 110-or-more tackles (125), five-or-more passes defensed (six), two-or-more interceptions (two), one-or-more forced fumbles (one) and one-or-more fumble recoveries (two).

Jon Embree is in his fourth season as the 49ers assistant head coach/tight ends coach.

Under Embree’s guidance, TE George Kittle’s game continued to improve in 2019 as he was named Associated Press First-Team All-Pro, PFWA All-NFL and All-NFC and was selected as a starter in the Pro Bowl. Kittle led the team with 85 receptions for 1,053 yards and five touchdowns. He became just the fifth player in franchise history, and the first tight end, to have multiple 1,000-yard seasons, joining WR Jerry Rice (12), WR Terrell Owens (5), WR Anquan Boldin (2) and WR John Taylor (2). Kittle also set the NFL record for the most receiving yards by a tight end through their first three seasons (2,945), surpassing TE Mike Ditka (2,774), who held the record since 1963.