49ers legend makes case for Kyle Shanahan to win his first Coach of the Year award

Charlie Baduini

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49ers legend makes case for Kyle Shanahan to win his first Coach of the Year award image

Through 13 games, the San Francisco 49ers have somehow managed a 9-4 record despite numerous injuries to key players.

Defensive stars Nick Bosa and Fred Warner are out for the season, while Brock Purdy, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk have missed almost all or most of the team's games.

But somehow, someway, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has kept his team in playoff contention, and one game back from first place in the NFC West. Should that earn him consideration for Coach of the Year?

Frank Gore believes Kyle Shanahan deserves Coach of the Year

In an interview with Jim Rome, legendary 49ers running back Frank Gore said that Shanahan absolutely should be the frontrunner for Coach of the Year.

"I think my head coach should be Coach of the Year. With all the stuff we’ve been through, so many of our main guys in and out of the lineup. Losing two of our best players on defense and we still fighting for a playoff spot right now," Gore told Rome.

"I think Kyle should be up for the Coach of the Year. He did a great job with our team. Our team fights and does whatever it takes to win. I take my hat off to Kyle and John Lynch. We doing our thing. We fighting. We’re a tough team in the NFC."

As of December 4, New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel is the strong favorite to win the award, per BetMGM. Shanahan currently holds the eighth-highest odds.

While there's no denying the job Vrabel has done turning around that Patriots team, Shanahan deserves just as much praise for winning despite the bad injury luck he and the 49ers have dealt with.

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Senior Editor