Is 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan the NFL's Best Offensive Play Caller?

Kyle Shanahan may not be the best head coach in the NFL, but he is almost universally lauded as an elite offensive play caller.

Dec 12, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on the sideline against the Los Angeles Rams during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Kyle Shanahan may not be the best head coach in the NFL, but he is almost universally lauded as an elite offensive play caller.

He has coordinated prolific offenses in Houston, Washington, Atlanta and now San Francisco. And in each case, he never had a quarterback who was truly elite. And yet, his offenses produce elite numbers.

That's why Shanahan is the best offensive player call in the NFL, according to Pro Football Network.

"Kyle Shanahan remains the gold standard among NFL play-callers, even after a 2024 season that fell short of expectations," writes PFN's Brandon Austin. "While injuries limited the San Francisco 49ers’ ceiling, Shanahan’s offense still finished ninth in PFSN’s Offense+ metric and 11th in EPA per play (+0.04). That’s a testament to his ability to adapt and thrive regardless of circumstances.

"Shanahan’s evolution is what sets him apart from other play-callers. He doesn’t just call plays, but he builds offensive systems from the ground up. He adjusts each element of the scheme to match his personnel and opponents.

"Deebo Samuel Sr. is gone, but the 49ers still boast plenty of weapons and a newly paid quarterback in Brock Purdy, who may be asked to shoulder more responsibility. Despite the down year, you can’t sleep on this offense when Shanahan is at the controls."

Austin makes good points. Unfortunately for Shanahan, his career is defined by uncharacteristically bad play calls in the second halves of big games, particularly the Super Bowl, which he has lost three times as a play caller. In all three games, he abandoned the run in the third quarter while leading. That's a cardinal sin, and it's something his father, Mike Shanahan, didn't do.

This is why Kyle Shanahan is not the best play-caller in the NFL. He's great on first and second down in the first halves of games when there's no pressure and he can follow his game script.

The best play-callers don't need their script.