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Kyle Shanahan, right, is still chasing winning a Super Bowl or two like his dad did, but he’s made it there twice in his first eight seasons with the 49ers.(Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)
As the 2025 NFL season approaches, a select group of head coaches carry a unique legacy: the weight and expectation of following in their fathers’ footsteps. Among them, Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers and Brian Schottenheimer, the new head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, represent a continuing trend of familial influence within professional football.
this lineage isn’t merely a matter of name recognition; it speaks to a deeper transmission of football knowledge and strategy. The success-and pressure-experienced by thes ”second-generation” coaches impacts team performance, fan expectations, and the ongoing narrative of dynasty building within the league. The question now is whether Shanahan and Schottenheimer can replicate, or even surpass, the achievements of their predecessors.
Currently, two active NFL head coaches have fathers who also held head coaching positions: Kyle Shanahan and Brian Schottenheimer. Kyle’s father, Mike Shanahan, established a formidable reputation during his tenure with the Denver Broncos, leading the team to consecutive Super Bowl victories in 1997 and 1998. Marty Schottenheimer, Brian’s father, oversaw the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, and san Diego Chargers over a 22-year period spanning from 1984 to 2006.
Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay also has a familial connection to the coaching world, though through his grandfather, John McVay, who served as head coach of the New York Giants in the late 1970s and later became a pivotal executive with the San Francisco 49ers during their dominant era.
Over eight seasons with the 49ers, Kyle Shanahan has compiled a 78-66 record.His teams have secured three NFC West titles,reached the postseason four times,and twice competed for the Super Bowl championship. Despite a challenging 6-11 season in
