Despite suffering several injuries in a car accident last week, including a concussion, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is expected to be on the sideline for the team’s Week 1 opener on Sept. 10.
The 49ers will face the Los Angeles Rams in a matchup of NFC West rivals in Melbourne, Australia, and general manager John Lynch believes Shanahan will be sufficiently recovered to perform his head-coaching duties by then, roughly two months after the July 14 accident occurred.
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“The timeline kind of takes care of itself. He’s got to meet certain markers,” Lynch told reporters on Saturday, via ESPN. “But I think the expectation is that long before that he’ll be better.”
Among the injuries Shanahan sustained in a two-car collision were a broken nose, three broken ribs and a broken hand, according to ESPN. The coach also needed 40 stitches in his face. But the severe concussion he suffered will likely determine how soon Shanahan can return to his usual responsibilities.
Lynch explained that Shanahan will essentially go through the same concussion protocol as a player before he’s deemed ready to resume his regular work.
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“He did suffer a concussion in the accident, has some lingering effects from that concussion,” Lynch said. “We don’t have a protocol for staff members when it comes to concussions, but we do with players and it’s been very helpful.”
In the meantime, Shanahan will step back from his typical head-coaching tasks as the 49ers begin training camp on Sunday with assistant head coach Chris Foerster handling the bulk of those responsibilities.
However, Foerster will also be helped by defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak and special teams coordinator Brant Boyer in running the team during training camp.
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Morris, in particular, has NFL head-coaching experience, running the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons for three seasons apiece.
