Time is a flat circle for the Shanahan and McCaffrey football families.
More than 30 years after Mike Shanahan and Ed McCaffrey won a Super Bowl together in San Francisco — and more than 25 years after they did so two more times with the Broncos — their sons will have the same opportunity.
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan and running back Christian McCaffrey will try to match that accomplishment when the 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 58 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, on Sunday.
That would make history on many levels for both families. Here's a look at the connection between the Shanahan and McCaffrey families:
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How many Super Bowls did Mike Shanahan win?
Shanahan worked his way up the college and NFL coaching ranks before taking his first head coaching job with the Oakland Raiders in 1989. He went 8-12 and was fired four games into his second season.
He then had a three-year stint as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator in Denver before taking the same job in San Francisco. The 49ers beat San Diego 49-26 in Super Bowl XXIX, which helped Shanahan land his next head coaching job.
Shanahan returned to Denver, where he compiled a 138-86 record from 1995-2008. The Broncos won 10 or more games in seven seasons and eight playoff games in that span.
Shanahan and John Elway led the Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowl victories. Denver beat Green Bay 31-24 in Super Bowl 32 and knocked off Atlanta 34-19 in Super Bowl 33. The Broncos also reached the AFC championship game in 2005.
Shanahan was later the head coach and executive vice president for Washington from 2010-13.
MORE: Kyle Shanahan coaching tree
How many Super Bowls did Ed McCaffrey win?
Mike Shanahan and McCaffrey won three Super Bowls together. McCaffrey spent his first three seasons with the Giants before a one-year stint in San Francisco in 1994 when Shanahan was the offensive coordinator.
McCaffrey caught one pass for five yards in Super Bowl 29 against San Diego.
When Shanahan took the Denver job, McCaffrey followed and emerged as a reliable receiver for John Elway. McCaffrey had 462 catches for 6,200 yards and 46 TDs in nine seasons with the Broncos.
He had two catches for 45 yards in Super Bowl 32 and followed that up with five catches for 72 yards in Super Bowl 33.
Why Kyle Shanahan and Christian McCaffrey can make Super Bowl history
Shanahan and McCaffrey could make history by winning a Super Bowl for the same franchise as their fathers.
Kyle Shanahan took over as the 49ers coach in 2017. He’s 64-51, but many of those losses are because of a considerable rebuild. San Francisco has made four NFC championship appearances in the past five years, and Shanahan led the 49ers to an appearance in Super Bowl 54. Kansas City beat San Francisco 31-20.
That was without McCaffrey, however. The 49ers traded for McCaffrey in 2022. He won the NFL rushing title with 1,459 yards this season and had 188 rushing yards, 72 receiving yards, and four total TDs in two playoff games.
Did Mike Shanahan and Kyle Shanahan coach together?
Mike Shanahan was the head coach for Washington from 2010-13, and Kyle was the offensive coordinator. Washington finished with a 24-40 record in those four seasons, but they won the NFC East with a 10-6 record in '12. Washington ranked fourth in the NFL with 27.3 points per game that season with Robert Griffin III at quarterback.
The coaching staff also featured current defensive coordinator, Jim Haslett, and current NFL head coaches Matt LaFleur, Mike McDaniel, Sean McVay, and Raheem Morris. Houston offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik also was on that staff.
How many father-son player tandems have won Super Bowl?
A total of seven fathers have had sons win the Super Bowl as players, according to Biography.com. That list includes the following players:
| FATHER | TEAM | SUPER BOWL | SON | TEAM | SUPER BOWL |
| Bruce Davis | OAK | 18 | Bruce Davis II | PIT | 43 |
| Steve DeOssie | NYG | 25 | Zac DeOssie | NYG | 42, 46 |
| Bob Griese | MIA | 7, 8 | Brian Griese | DEN | 33 |
| Ronnie Lott | SF | 16, 19, 23, 24 | Ryan Nece | TB | 37 |
| Emery Moorehead | CHI | 20 | Aaron Moorehead | IND | 41 |
| Craig Colquitt | PIT | 13, 14 | Britton Colquitt | DEN | 50 |
| Craig Colquitt | PIT | 13, 14 | Dustin Colquitt | KC | 54 |
| Howie Long | OAK | 18 | Chris Long | NE, PHI | 51, 52 |
Craig Colquitt – a punter for Pittsburgh – had two sons, Dustin and Britton, who won Super Bowls as punter. Steve and Zac DeOssie are the only father-son tandem to win a Super Bowl for the same team. Both accomplished that feat with the New York Giants. Bob and Brian Griese are the only father-son quarterback tandem to win Super Bowl championships, but Brian was a backup QB at the time.
How many father-son coaching tandems have won the Super Bowl?
Mike and Kyle Shanahan are the first father and son to coach in the Super Bowl, and if the 49ers win, they will be the first father-son tandem to win the Super Bowl as head coaches.
Stephen Belichick, who was named the University of Washington defensive coordinator on Feb. 6, won three Super Bowls (39, 51, 53) as an assistant coach under his father Bill Belichick.