Shanahan disciples now lead NFC West rivals, shaping offenses and philosophies division-wide. Every team runs a version of his game.
The San Francisco 49ers may not have finished the 2025 season on top of the NFC West standings, but that hasn’t slowed Kyle Shanahan’s influence on the division.
If anything, it’s only grown stronger.
Now one of the NFL’s longest-tenured head coaches, Shanahan’s coaching tree continues to spread across the league and it now touches every team in the NFC West.
Arizona’s hire completes the picture
The final piece fell into place when the Arizona Cardinals hired Mike LaFleur as their new head coach following the dismissal of Jonathan Gannon at the end of the regular season.
LaFleur’s hiring firmly plants another Shanahan disciple inside the division. He began his NFL coaching career under Shanahan in 2014 with the Cleveland Browns as an offensive assistant and followed Shanahan to Atlanta a year later. When Shanahan was hired by the 49ers in 2017, LaFleur once again joined him, becoming a key part of San Francisco’s offensive staff.
LaFleur remained with the 49ers until Robert Saleh took him to New York in 2021, where he served as the Jets’ offensive coordinator. Now, he returns to the NFC West and this time its as a head coach.
Familiar faces throughout the division
Shanahan’s fingerprints were already evident elsewhere.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay shares deep roots with Shanahan dating back to their time together in Washington. While McVay technically falls under a parallel branch of the same offensive philosophy, the overlap in concepts, terminology, and approach has shaped the division for years.
With LaFleur now in Arizona, McVay is expected to target another offensive coordinator who fits the same mold and continuing the cycle.
Seattle’s situation further hits the point. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak served as Shanahan’s pass-game coordinator during the 2023 season, another year that ended with a Super Bowl appearance for San Francisco.
Adding another layer, Klint’s brother, Klay Kubiak, currently serves as the 49ers’ offensive coordinator, reinforcing just how tightly connected these staffs have become.
Shanahan’s influence goes beyond wins
The 49ers’ on-field results under Shanahan have been well documented which include multiple playoff runs and several SuperBowl appearances, but his broader impact may be just as significant.
The NFC West is now populated by coaches who either worked directly under Shanahan or emerged from the same philosophical lineage. That shared foundation shapes how offenses are built, how quarterbacks are developed, and how game plans are constructed week to week.
Even without a division title in 2025, Shanahan remains the most influential coach in the NFC West.
Every rival, in one way or another, is playing a version of his game.
And that may be the clearest sign yet of just how dominant his presence has become.