This season has been one to forget for Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers. After a much-needed bounce-back with a dominant 38-13 victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 14, things seemed to be looking up for the team.
However, disaster struck just days later as they followed up their offensive outburst with a dismal 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night. It marked the lowest-scoring game of the season for the 49ers and the worst since Shanahan’s debut as head coach in 2017, when they managed just three points against the Carolina Panthers.
Adding fuel to the fire, a familiar face was spotted on the Rams’ sideline during the game—making the defeat even more bitter for Shanahan.
Kyle Shanahan with Jimmy Garoppolo.
Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had a lot of success with the 49ers and helped lead them to a Super Bowl, but the team unceremoniously replaced him with Trey Lance and then Brock Purdy.
While Garoppolo seems to have moved on, his family appears to still hold onto some ill will toward Shanahan. His brother, Billy Garoppolo, took to Instagram to throw shade at the head coach by mockingly calling him an “offensive guru” following the 49ers’ six-point output.
Shanahan’s offenses are typically among the best in the NFL, but the 49ers are only averaging 22.4 points a game this season, which is 15th in the league right now