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Inside Kyle Shanahan's playoff record, Super Bowl losses as 49ers coach aims for first championship

2024-02-10
4 min read
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Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers will take the field on football's biggest stage Sunday as they look to end the season off on a high note against the Chiefs in Super Bowl 58.

In the six seasons Shanahan has served as San Francisco's head coach, the 49ers have won at least 10 games in four of those seasons, including in the last three seasons. But the ultimate prize has eluded the 44-year-old coach.

Here's a look at everything to know about Shanahan's postseason track record and how a win in the Super Bowl would add to it.

Kyle Shanahan playoff record

Shanahan has a 8-3 record in the playoffs as head coach of the 49ers. If San Francisco can defeat Kansas City, Shanahan will be just one game shy of hitting double digits in the win column while also recording the first Super Bowl victory his career.

Even though Shanahan hasn't won the big game while manning the sidelines just yet, there's no doubt he's had bountiful postseason success. 

To date, his teams have never been eliminated in the divisional round or earlier as a head coach, and all of his playoff losses have come to the team that winds up being the Super Bowl champion for that year.

Has Kyle Shanahan won a Super Bowl?

Shanahan has yet to win a Super Bowl despite the success he has had as a head coach. He coached in a Super Bowl one time as an offensive coordinator (Falcons) and once as a head coach (49ers).

In 2016, he made it to Super Bowl 51 as the Falcons' offensive coordinator. That year, Atlanta famously blew a 28-3 lead to Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the Patriots, overshadowing the Shanahan-Matt Ryan duo.

If Shanahan wins Super Bowl 58, he and his father Mike Shanahan will become the first father-son duo to each lead a team to a championship as a head coach. Mike Shanahan won two Super Bowl titles as the head coach of the Broncos.

Kyle Shanahan coaching record

Year W L Pct.
2017 6 10 .375
2018 4 12 .250
2019 13 3 .813
2020 6 10 .375
2021 10 7 .588
2022 13 4 .765
2023 12 5 .705
Total 63 51  

Kyle Shanahan coaching tree

The Shanahan coaching tree is an extensive one. It all started with Mike Shanahan, who once had Kyle, Sean McVay, and Matt LaFleur all on his Washington staff. 

Coaches who have connections to the Shanahan tree include McVay, LaFleur, and Kevin O'Connell, DeMeco Ryans and Zac Taylor. Shanahan has seen two of assistants go on to become head coaches.

Jets coach Robert Saleh served as Shanahan's defensive coordinator for four years in San Francisco, and Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel was Shanahan's offensive coordinator in 2021.