Why Kyle Shanahan says the Vibe in the 49ers' Locker Room has Improved

Despite an ongoing injury crisis, the locker room atmosphere remains upbeat.

Aug 9, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan watches from the sidelines in the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan believes the locker room vibes are much better compared to last season.

Aside from the constant injuries leading up to the looming 53-man roster decision, a lot has changed in San Francisco.

New 49ers players are adapting well to Shanahan's culture

Jun 10, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan speaks to the media following an OTA at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Picture this: 12 months ago, nothing would be worse than reporting to training camp after the tough Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

But with the Super Bowl window arguably closed, the 49ers' front office opted for a mini-rebuild for this season, bringing in many new faces.

For Shanahan, the optimism surrounding this year's atmosphere isn't just about moving on from that defeat; it's more about how well the new draft picks and signings have integrated into the team.

“I love the way we’re going. I love the way we’re working," Shanahan told the media on Tuesday. "I mean, obviously when you have the number of injuries we’ve had, like not always enjoying that, but you know, it is such a different deal this year than last year. Not just because of how our mood is in camp.

"We knew that when the season ended, but you could really see that in free agency. You could see in how the Draft went, we were really turning over a lot of this team. So the vibe that we brought into this offseason and OTAs with adding a lot more youth, a big change in a lot of the people and not having as many people that had been here through this whole run, it changed so much then and that’s continued into camp. A lot of young guys have stepped up.

"So, when you have young guys out there who are making plays, to me those are the loud ones. Those are the ones who inspire the vets, and that’s what I’ve been a lot more excited about this year. We have a bunch of guys doing it. I think we’ve had a little more on defense than offense. Some of our young guys on offense have been hurt, so we haven’t been able to get that much out of them yet. But, I know it will come as this year goes."

As we know, hard work is an important attribute for Shanahan

Jun 10, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan (right) and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh confer during an OTA at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

With a roster mixed with veterans and rookies, this could be the mini-restart they need to finally get over the line and end the three-decade-long Super Bowl drought.

While this season may be an exception, having a younger squad overall should open up a longer window for success down the line.

"You have to put in the work and expect that how hard it’s going to be to win one game and then you move to the next game," Shanahan stated.

"I think we established that mindset a lot earlier this year and I think it’s given us a much better vibe and it should make us work to get better throughout this year.”