What Kyle Shanahan has done with the Atlanta Falcons offense this postseason is remarkable. His game plans helped shred the Seahawks and Packers for 80 points and 915 yards.
As if Shanahan needed any more recognition, he was sick as a dog this weekend. A nasty case of the flu forced Shanahan to take IV fluids Saturday and Sunday.
USA Today’s Tom Pelissero has the story from Atlanta.
“My kids had it all week. I knew it was coming,” Shanahan said. “Then I made it to Friday, so I thought I was going to be all right, and it happened in the middle of the night on Friday. I’m already skinny as it is, and now I’m way too skinny.
“Fortunately, I get to sit in a chair and just call plays. I don’t have to play football, thank goodness. When the players hear that, they’ll probably think I’m being very high-maintenance, but you want your brain clear at least to call the plays.”
Honestly, what can’t this guy do?
Call Jed York whatever you want, but he seems to have absolutely done the right thing by waiting for Shanahan. The 49ers CEO and his presumptive next head coach will meet this weekend with GM candidates, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Minnesota’s George Paton and Arizona’s Terry McDonough remain the top candidates.
There’s a lot more that goes into head coaching than calling plays on offense, but Shanahan has proved what he can do with a talented roster.
It’ll take the 49ers a few years to get setup properly, but in the meantime, this organization can relish in the fact that their next leader is now participating in the Super Bowl. Shanahan is proving he can coach on football’s biggest stage. If he propels Matt Ryan over Tom Brady in February, the hype and anticipation will continue to grow — even if the 49ers are a true rebuilding project.