San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday that he is responsible for the serious car accident that left him severely injured.
Shanahan spoke to reporters privately on Tuesday to clarify some of the details about the accident. The Niners coach denied rumors that he was on his cell phone at the time of the crash, but said he reached down to grab his phone after it got stuck in his seat.
“I was driving. I was going 20 mph. I was not on my phone but I dropped my phone and it was stuck in my seat. I took my eyes off the road looking for my phone and my car veered into someone,” Shanahan said. “It’s one of those roads where there’s no forgiveness. It’s one of those roads where I’ll teach my kids, you don’t drive in the left lane for no reason. You’re only allowed a foot. When I hit her, I’ll never forget how violent the impact was.”
Kyle Shanahan took fault for the car accident on Alma St. near downtown Palo Alto, which is a 4-lane way without a median (only a double yellow line):
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) July 28, 2026
"I was driving. I was going 20 mph. I was not on my phone but I dropped my phone and it was stuck in my seat. I took my eyes…
Some speculation had spread online that Shanahan was actively using his phone at the time of the crash. A California Highway Patrol report had also inaccurately faulted the other driver, a 21-year-old female.
The accident occurred in Palo Alto, Calif. on July 14, but was only publicly revealed on Sunday. One of Shanahan’s friends suggested that the 49ers coach nearly lost an eye because of the injuries he sustained in the crash.
