Despite the San Francisco 49ers’ firm denial of speculation surrounding head coach Kyle Shanahan’s potential departure, the rumors continue to swirl.
As a matter of fact, the whole idea of a possible Shanahan trade gained further traction this week on Monday Night Football.
During the broadcast, analyst Troy Aikman suggested the Chicago Bears should seriously consider pursuing Shanahan, even if it means giving up valuable draft capital.
“There has been discussion about, ‘Do you give up some picks and see if you can maybe make a deal for a guy like Kyle Shanahan?’” Aikman said. “I would be all in on that. Because he would develop a quarterback and is a hell of a head coach.”
Shanahan, known for orchestrating one of the NFL’s most innovative and effective offenses, has built a system that thrives on motion, mismatches, and a balanced attack.
His creative play-calling has unlocked the potential of the 49ers’ roster, particularly benefiting quarterback Brock Purdy.
In the 2023 season, Purdy flourished under Shanahan’s guidance, amassing 4,280 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
He led the league in multiple metrics, including yards per attempt, passer rating, and quarterback rating.
The 49ers’ offense, featuring stars like Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Deebo Samuel provided Purdy with the tools to excel.
In fairness, this season has been a bit of a disaster for Shanahan and the Niners. Although injuries have played an enormous part in that.
Meanwhile, the Bears are facing serious challenges of their own, especially when it comes to the development of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
Like most people, Aikman believes that Williams would see significant benefits from being coach by Shanahan.
Chicago boasts a strong receiving corps with Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, and Cole Kmet, alongside promising rookie Rome Odunze.
While the Bears’ backfield lacks a McCaffrey-caliber game-changer, D’Andre Swift has shown himself to be a dependable option.
Surely, the greatest potential beneficiary of Shanahan’s system would figure to be Williams. While he has flashed at times, Williams has struggled mightily this season for the Bears.
Of course, every young quarterback goes through growing pains, but concerns are beginning to grow rapidly when it comes to Williams.
Aikman’s suggestion underscores the belief that Shanahan could help unlock the young quarterback’s full potential, just as he did with Purdy in San Francisco.
Interestingly, even Shanahan himself has expressed admiration for Williams’ talent.
If given the chance, his system could provide the stability and development needed to elevate Williams into a top-tier quarterback.
Knowing that the odds of actually pulling off a trade for Shanahan are slim, Chicago fans are hoping that the same results could be achieved by hiring another hot-shot offensive mind such as Ben Johnson, Kliff Kingsbury, or Joe Brady.
While it’s fun to speculate, the fact of the matter is it would be shocking if the Niners actually traded Shanahan. Although crazier things have happened. (Or have they?)
What are your thoughts on Aikman’s comments and the idea that a Shanahan trade to the Bears could actually happen???
