Kyle Shanahan Showed Up to 49ers Camp With a Cast and a Practice Script

Kyle Shanahan was not about to miss the first day of 49ers training camp. Even with a broken left hand and a sore body from a recent car accident, the head coach showed up on the sideline Sunday, watching the 11-on-11 drills with a practice script in his casted hand.

NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco spotted him on the field for about 30 minutes, standing next to general manager John Lynch. Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group noted the visual: cast on his left hand, but still holding the script. That’s about as on-brand as it gets for Shanahan.

The accident happened in mid-July, a rollover crash that left him with non-serious injuries. He got plenty of well-wishes from around the league, including a surprisingly warm one from his biggest rival. Rams head coach Sean McVay called Shanahan a “stud” and said he hopes his friend recovers fast. McVay said it before his own team hit camp, which is a nice gesture considering how much these two have battled.

Shanahan isn’t running practice just yet. He’s handed off most on-field duties to run game coordinator Chris Foerster while he recovers. But he’s still overseeing things, making sure the operation doesn’t skip a beat. For a coach as detail-obsessed as Shanahan, that probably matters more than the cast itself.

Nick Bosa’s Back, Too

Shanahan isn’t the only notable name working through an injury at 49ers camp. Edge rusher Nick Bosa practiced Sunday after tearing his ACL in 2025. He’s one of the best defensive players in football when healthy, so his return is a big deal for a team with Super Bowl expectations.

Offensive tackle Vederian Lowe picked up an ankle injury during Sunday’s session, which is worth watching. The 49ers have some depth on the line, but they don’t need more injuries piling up before the season even starts.

A Coach Who Just Won’t Stay Away

Shanahan’s presence on the sideline, even with a cast and limited mobility, says something about how he runs this team. He’s not the type to sit at home and watch practice on a tablet. The guy went from a rollover wreck to training camp in less than three weeks. That’s the kind of stubbornness players tend to respect.

It also puts him in an unusual category: an NFL injury story where the injured person is a coach, not a player. But that’s the 49ers for you. Even the head coach can’t escape the injury bug.