We gave you 3 options to determine which year was the worst under Kyle Shanahan based on expectations for those 49ers’ seasons
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During the 2017 offseason, the 49ers hired Kyle Shanahan as head coach and John Lynch as general manager. Shanahan was fresh off his stint with the Atlanta Falcons as their offensive coordinator and was regarded as the hottest name in the NFL’s head coaching circles. The 49ers sought stability following Jim Tomsula and Chip Kelly’s tenures as head coach. Shanahan and Lynch had their hands full rebuilding the 49ers in 2017.
Fast-forward to 2025, and Shanahan has a coaching record of 70-61 (with one week left in 2025), a playoff record of 8-4, four NFC Championship appearances, and two Super Bowl appearances. A Super Bowl win is all that Shanahan has left to accomplish.
2024 has been a disappointing season for the 49ers and their fans, but is it the most disappointing season during the Shanahan/Lynch era? Let’s recount the seasons that 49ers fans would like to forget and debate!
2018
With Brian Hoyer starting at quarterback for the 49ers, followed by C.J. Beathard, the 49ers stumbled to a 1-10 start in 2017. With a limited roster and a team learning how to win, the 49ers sent a second-round pick to the New England Patriots for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The 49ers ripped off five straight wins and rewarded Garoppolo with a record extension, and fans believed the team had found their franchise QB.
2018 opened with a loss in Minnesota but foreshadowed the bright future for players like Fred Warner and George Kittle. Week 2 was a narrow victory over the Detroit Lions, and the season came to a screeching halt following Garoppolo’s season-ending ACL injury at Arrowhead Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The lone bright spot was George Kittle’s record-breaking tight end season, but it was a disappointing season for 49ers fans, given the high expectations coming into the season.
2020
In the single strangest football season in recent memory, the 49ers looked to return to the Super Bowl following their heartbreaking loss to the Chiefs in Miami. Fans weren’t allowed in stadiums, the preseason was canceled, but the season began on schedule.
The 49ers opened with a frustrating loss at home to the Cardinals, but their trip to MetLife Stadium in Week 2 would be costly. Jimmy Garoppolo injured his ankle and would miss several weeks. Nick Bosa tore his ACL, and Raheem Mostert, Solomon Thomas, and others would suffer injuries on the MetLife Stadium turf.
Eventually, the 49ers were forced to play their games in Arizona, but the team never recovered from the number of injuries that impacted players in 2020. The 49ers’ defense played their best, but the team finished 6-10 and in last place in the NFC West.
2024
The offseason began with holdouts from Brandon Aiyuk, followed by Trent Williams, and an extension for Christian McCaffrey, followed by a reveal of McCaffrey’s Achilles injury. Ricky Pearsall was shot during a robbery attempt, which landed him on injured reserve for the first four weeks of the season.
Coming off a near-perfect season, which ended in Las Vegas at the hands of the Chiefs in the Super Bowl again, the expectations for the 49ers were sky-high. Injuries piled up during the season, and the team would kick away multiple double-digit leads, which led to the 49ers’ 6-10 record with one more week to play.
The team faced several personal tragedies in 2025. The circumstances were a perfect storm for a disappointing season. The 2024 draft class has been a bright spot, but there is no doubt the season fell flat.
What do you think? Which is the most disappointing season under Shanahan? Would you argue it’s one of the other four seasons that didn’t result in a Super Bowl win? Let us know in the comments!