Kyle Shanahan fully believes that the San Francisco 49ers were the best team in football during the 2019 season, and hasn't ruled out their chances of winning the Super Bowl this time around either.
The 2020 Super Bowl saw the 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs, and Patrick Mahomes led his side to victory with a 31-20 win over the Californian franchise. The two organisations will meet again on Sunday in a repeat of the 2020 final, and head coach Shanahan has been reflecting on the past ahead of their week seven clash.
Shanahan firmly believes that the 49ers were the best team in the NFL back then, and even with a 3-3 record this season, he's backing them to be in the conversation towards the end of the year. Mahomes was hailed for his brilliance in the 2020 Super Bowl, but Shanahan believes it was the 49ers that threw it away more than the Chiefs outclassing them.
Shanahan was asked about what comes into his mind when people talk about the 2020 Super Bowl, and the 49ers coach said: "Tons of stuff. I love thinking of our team that year. I felt like that year we had the best team in football, but we ended up being the second best because we didn't get it done in the end."
The 49ers were running riot against the Chiefs, and they lead 20-10 with just one quarter remaining in the Super Bowl. But like we have become so used to seeing now, you can never settle against Mahomes, and they were punished.
The Chiefs scored a staggering three touchdowns in the final 15 minutes to secure a famous victory, and it's likely they'll be in and around proceedings again this season. But despite the 49ers struggling for momentum, Shanahan thinks that the 49ers have as good a chance as anyone.
"Yeah, I think we're right there with everyone else," Shanahan said. "I think most of this league is pretty close in the same spot.
"There's a couple teams that are ahead of everyone and there's a couple teams behind everyone. I believe we have just as good a chance as anyone in this league though."
Although Shanahan said it was the 49ers that blew it in 2020, and not the magic of Mahomes, he did speak highly of the Chiefs quarterback ahead of Sunday's clash. "There's not many people in the history of football as good as him," Shanahan added.
"Reminds me of [Hall of Fame QB John] Elway a ton watching him. Just how he's a top thrower on the planet and the way he can move.
"He's not always doing it just with a flat out 40 just running away from people. But the way he feels space and can create time and as he does it, his vision down the field with that arm talent is tough to deal with."
