Where 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan landed in PFF’s ranking of NFL coaches

Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus recently ranked the top 10 head coaches in the NFL as teams prepare for the 2023 season. At the top of the list is Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs, which is understandable. Despite recent struggles in New England, Bill Belichick of the Patriots landed at No. 2. Rounding out the top three is Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Each of those coaches has won a Super Bowl, with the first two winning multiple championships. The man at No. 4 on the list has yet to earn that distinction, which Sikkema acknowledges might be the biggest gripe from fans who want to criticize his high ranking.

That man is Kyle Shanahan, who, in six seasons as the San Francisco 49ers’ head coach, has been to three conference title games and a Super Bowl but has failed to bring home the organization’s sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy.

“The reason for Shanahan being this high on the list comes down to how easy he makes offense look in the NFL,” Sikkema explains. “Nothing demonstrates that more than what he was able to do with Brock Purdy last season, succeeding at a playoff-caliber level with a rookie QB3.”

Purdy became the 49ers’ starting quarterback after Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo sustained injuries. Taking over in Week 13, the quarterback guided the team to eight consecutive wins, extending the win streak to 12 games. That’s impressive for a rookie and the quarterback who entered the season third on the depth chart.

However, Purdy’s good fortune ended in the NFC Championship Game when he suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his throwing arm.

Purdy had so much early success because the 49ers roster was stacked at nearly every position. On offense, the quarterback had playmakers all around him, names like Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle.

“Yes, the Niners have great pieces, but Shanahan is the offensive chef that turns good ingredients into the perfect meal,” wrote Sikkema. “It is also worth noting how vast and successful his coaching tree is becoming. Robert Saleh, Mike McDaniel, DeMeco Ryans and Mike LaFleur all rose to be top candidates for promotion under Shanahan in San Francisco.”

While Shanahan has been unable to win the big game, Sikkema reminds fans that the coach has been one of the best offensive minds in the NFL for a while now. The analyst believes the advanced statistics back up Shanahan’s placement within the top four.

“Since 2019, the Niners have the second-highest cumulative offensive grade (91.9), behind only the Kansas City Chiefs,” Sikkema shared. “They also rank seventh in the league in EPA per play over that span.”