The San Francisco 49ers have had every reason to fall apart this season. They had to play without Brock Purdy, Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, George Kittle, Jauan Jennings, Charvarius Ward, and more. At times, nearly half their defensive core was out. Add a stretch where backup QB Mac Jones had to start multiple games, and any team in their position would have buckled under the weight of it.
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However, under head coach Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco hasn’t exhibited an iota of pressure. In fact, in most games, they end up dominating possession. Despite injuries that should have derailed their season by Week 6, the 9-4 Niners somehow keep churning out wins, including Sunday’s 26-8 road domination of the Browns in brutal Cleveland conditions.
Their performance so far only proves the point that Shanahan continues to be one of the best tactical minds of this generation. A record like this is only possible when your team is built on a prudent system where players are replaceable cogs rather than the levers driving it.
And that’s exactly what caught Emmanuel Acho’s attention on a segment of Speakeasy, leading the former linebacker to deliver the strongest endorsement Shanahan has received all year.
“How is this team 9-4?” Acho asked, almost in disbelief, before answering his own question.
“Kyle Shanahan is the epitome of a head coach… what Shanahan has done with the backup quarterback, you lose your Defensive Player of the Year, you lose another Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Fred Warner… and you still find a way to be 9-4 after 13 weeks? Absolutely astounding.”
To Acho, this season has separated Shanahan from the pack. Not because of flashy wins, but because the system keeps winning regardless of who’s available.
“This Niners team… where the train should have gone off the tracks. No Purdy, no Fred, no Bosa… trains should have gone off the tracks,” he said, emphasizing the sheer improbability of their current record.
The ex-NFLer even listed the long-term absences that would cripple most franchises: “Greenlaw gone, Hufanga gone, Charvarius Ward gone, Warner gone, Bosa gone — 40 to 50 percent of the defense gone. And they’re 9-4.”
“Kyle Shanahan is top 3 and he’s not 3”
– @EmmanuelAcho weighs in on Kyle Shanahan’s pitch for Coach of the Year
WE ARE STILL LIVE IN THE SPEAKEASY RIGHT NOW, SO COME JOIN US HERE ➡️ https://t.co/UCyknlCVSC pic.twitter.com/SFgFUIVSK4
— Speakeasy (@speakeasytlkshw) December 2, 2025
Acho also pointed out that while other elite coaches have benefitted from an elite pedigree at quarterback, Shanahan has built winners without those advantages. “Sean McVay has only ever coached number one overall picks… Andy Reid had Donovan McNabb, Mike Vick, and Patrick Mahomes,” he noted. “Kyle Shanahan… he’s coaching Brock Purdy and Jimmy Garoppolo.”
Shanahan’s offense undoubtedly remains one of the most efficient in football, despite the roster being filled with overlooked talents. The team, year after year, continues to produce playoff-level consistency. And that’s why Acho has placed the head man in his Top 2.
“If you want to figure out what a head coach looks like, look no further than Kyle Shanahan,” declared the analyst. “You could make a strong argument that Kyle Shanahan is a top three coach in football — and he’s not three.”
In a season where we have seen even a star-studded team like the Ravens unravel due to injuries, it is hard to disagree with Acho that it is purely Shanahan’s efforts that have kept the 49ers steady, dangerous, and very much alive in the NFC race. Can you see it any differently?
