Kyle Shanahan nearly lost eye, wasn't at fault in Palo Alto car crash near home, report says

Kyle Shanahan nearly lost an eye as a result of his car crash earlier this month, according to Chris Simms, who is close friends with the San Francisco 49ers coach.

Shanahan suffered multiple injuries from the two-car crash on July 14, including cuts to his face that required more than 40 stitches, sources told ESPN.

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Simms, who has been friends with Shanahan since the two were college teammates at the University of Texas, said Monday that he received a text message from Shanahan's wife notifying him that "Kyle's been a part of some horrible accident." Shanahan's wife also sent several photos of her husband's injuries to Simms and his wife.

"When you first see it, and it's fresh, and some of the cuts are still wide open, I mean, it's jarring -- it's jarring," Simms said on "PFT Live."

"He was this close to maybe losing his right eye, right? The scar is so big right here. So all that stuff was just crazy to see, and of course, I was thinking of my friend. But yeah, it's tough."

Sources told ESPN that Shanahan also broke his nose, three ribs and his hand, and suffered a severe concussion when he collided with an SUV in Palo Alto, California, near his home.

According to the California Highway Patrol's Crash Reporting System, Shanahan was not at fault in the crash. The records reveal that while Shanahan was holding and using a cell phone at the time of the crash, a 21-year-old woman was at fault for the accident.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the woman, driving a blue 2025 Mercedes SUV, made an unsafe turn while going in the opposite direction of Shanahan on a four-lane street.

Consistent with the accident report from the Palo Alto Police Department, neither Shanahan nor the woman received a citation for the crash. The crash report, like the accident report, also indicates that neither driver had been drinking at the time of the crash.

According to the crash report, Shanahan was driving a black 2023 Tesla south on Alma St. in Palo Alto with the woman traveling north at the time of the collision. The accident took place at 6:12 p.m. on July 14 at the intersection of Alma Street and Hamilton Avenue in Palo Alto.

The crash report also says both drivers were wearing seatbelts, and both airbags deployed at the time of the accident, which took place in a 25 miles per hour zone. Chris Simms, an NBC Sports analyst and close friend of Shanahan's, said Monday that Shanahan was returning from a chiropractic adjustment at the time of the accident.

The 49ers announced Saturday that Shanahan will be limited for the start of training camp but is recovering well from many of the injuries, although he still has lingering concussion symptoms.

Simms said Shanahan is still "battling" the concussion, which is giving him issues, but added that the longtime coach knows the accident "could have been a lot worse."

"I don't think he'd have any problem with me sharing this -- it hit him hard," Simms said. "He was emotional about it because he realized how close it was to being just a complete, you know, utter disaster.

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"Like, really, it was a disaster anyways. But you know, when you're that part of that accident, like I said, he could have lost his right eye. It could have been a lot worse."

Simms said Shanahan is "very concerned about the woman he got in the accident with and how she is and handling that situation."

Niners general manager John Lynch declined to offer details of what he'd been told about how the crash occurred but said Shanahan would return to full coaching duties once his concussion symptoms clear.

Shanahan has been present for at least part of the first two practices since camp opened Sunday. He was at Sunday's practice for about 30 minutes, coming out to the field midway through team drills and watching with Lynch before heading back inside.

On Monday, Shanahan again came out during team drills and stayed through the end of the practice. He's worn sunglasses to both practices as his black eyes continue to heal and has been sporting a cast on his broken left hand. The Niners are scheduled to have a closed "jog thru" session Tuesday.

Simms said Shanahan and his family are still emotionally processing the accident.

"There's just a lot there," Simms said. "And I think it was a lot for him to process. ... It was tough for him. It's tough for their family. Their kids were in shock and, you know, you just realize how fragile life can be and how it can all change in just one split second.

"Thank God he's OK. But yeah, he's gonna have to deal with this and, you know, hopefully get his mind cleared up here over the next few weeks."