An expertly coiffed, buttoned-up Shanahan participated in NBC’s Super Bowl coverage from a set inside Levi’s Stadium prior to the start of Super Bowl LX and handled the duties well, but as he explained it, there’s plenty left for him to achieve. His coaching flame is far from extinguished, and after he led an injury-riddled 49ers squad to a 12-5 finish and an upset playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Wild Card Weekend in 2025, his mind is only trained on one occupation.
At 46, Shanahan is close to passing legendary coach Bill Walsh on the all-time list for games coached in 49ers franchise history. If all goes according to plan, Shanahan will clear the Pro Football Hall of Famer before the end of September this season. He’s enjoyed plenty of success, leading the 49ers to five double-digit win seasons, five playoff appearances and two trips to the Super Bowl.
His team lost both in heartbreaking fashion, fueling his fire even more.
Despite these realities, it was fair to wonder if Shanahan could burn out and turn to television. Walsh once did so, leaving the 49ers after their triumph over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII and joining NBC as a broadcaster alongside the late Dick Enberg before returning to coaching with Stanford in 1992.
Recency played a part in such a conclusion, too. As soon as Mike Tomlin stepped down from his post as Steelers coach in January, many believed his next move would place him in front of a camera with a microphone in hand. He’s reportedly since signed with an agency, a signal he will at least consider a career in broadcasting after 19 years in Pittsburgh.
Thanks to some employment moves, multiple high-profile broadcasting jobs are coming available for the NFL’s network television broadcasting partners. Matt Ryan left CBS Sports to become the president of football for the Atlanta Falcons, while Michael Vick left FOX to take over as coach at Norfolk State, clearing room for at least two new faces.
Neither will include Shanahan, at least not the foreseeable future. While he enjoyed his time with NBC, he’s also embroiled in a rivalry with his NFC West foes, including fellow former Washington assistant Sean McVay, the Super Bowl-winning coach of the Rams.
Plenty of road remains in front of Shanahan. The offramp to broadcasting can wait.
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