At a recent press event, Kyle Shanahan, coach of the San Francisco 49ers, spoke for the first time since a car accident resulted in multiple injuries including broken ribs and a concussion. Despite his injuries, Shanahan will be back on the sidelines for the first preseason game.
A key focus of Shanahan’s address was his altered viewpoint on Tesla’s autopilot system and concussions in the NFL. In a July accident, Shanahan crashed while relying on the autopilot feature. He acknowledged this incident has changed his understanding of driving and concussions.
“When you’re going at 20 miles an hour and you’re on autopilot, I honestly have zero worries,” Shanahan told reporters. “I have so much trust in that stuff. That was a good lesson that you can’t ever have zero worries. I think it definitely could be an example for a lot of people.”
Though Shanahan has used Teslas for years, the crash has prompted him to reassess his confidence in the technology. He cited an instance where he turned his attention away from the road momentarily to pick up a phone, questioning whether the autopilot failed or was inadvertently disengaged.
“Regardless, it is always your fault, whether you’re on autopilot or not. You can’t take your eyes off the road. It’s a partnership driving,” Shanahan said, emphasizing the importance of staying alert even with advanced driving features.
Beyond the crash, Shanahan’s experience has led him to think more deeply about concussions, an ever-present issue in NFL seasons. While not directly involved in the concussion protocol for his players, Shanahan now better appreciates the subtlety and severity of head injuries.
“Just little things, like when they label things, like whether it’s severe or mild,” he said. “You hear someone has a mild one, I’m like, ‘Oh, alright. It might be one game, but usually that’s two.’ Then you kind of learn those are just words. Each one’s a little bit different.”
While recovering, Shanahan has noticed challenges such as dealing with noise and lingering symptoms like headaches and fatigue. Initially, loud noises posed a significant issue, but this discomfort has diminished over time.
“AC/DC hurt a lot more than some smoother hip-hop, but I think those days are over,” he stated, noting the improvement in his sensitivity to sound.
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