49ers' QB-HC duo ranks outside top-10 rankings for 2026 season
49ers' QB-HC duo ranks outside top-10 rankings for 2026 season
Oliver G., Niners WireSat, May 30, 2026 at 5:21 AM UTC
0
49ers' QB-HC duo ranks outside top-10 rankings for 2026 season
Most of the time, a team is only as good as its head coach and quarterback. That duo can sometimes swing the momentum toward a successful season just because of their connection.
The San Francisco 49ers have a good pair in head coach Kyle Shanahan and quarterback Brock Purdy. Together, they've gone 30-15 in the regular season and 5-3 in the postseason since 2022. They also ranked No. 6 on Sports Illustrated's top head coach-quarterback duo list.
Advertisement
Shanahan has primarily been defined by his Super Bowl shortcomings, but league insiders see a coach who has mastered the run game while creating easy throws for his quarterbacks. With five playoff appearances over his nine seasons, including four NFC title games, Shanahan has shown he can adapt despite having average quarterback play.
Speaking of Purdy, he’s trying to recapture his 2023 form when he threw for 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns. Since then, Purdy has played 24 games and thrown for 251.2 yards per game, with 40 passing touchdowns against 22 interceptions. If he continues to play at that pace, he’s at risk of being a cap casualty after the 2027 season, when he can be released for a savings of $42.2 million.
It should not be surprising, then, to see that two of the other teams ahead of them won Super Bowls, while the other three are either young (Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel), consistent (Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh) or ascending (Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love). This isn't a dig at Purdy or Shanahan, but they're very clearly on the same tier of non-Super Bowl winners, just perhaps a bit below this trio.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers' QB-HC duo of Shanahan and Purdy ranks outside top 10
Source: “AOL Sports”
