Despite all that has gone right for the San Francisco 49ers in recent years, the special teams unit has always seemed to be a thorn in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s side. As the Niners have stumbled out of the gate this season, several special teams gaffes have proven costly in close losses.
Needless to say, that has brought some understandable scrutiny back to the 49ers’ entire unit and questions for the head coach.
Shanahan has always emphasized a safe approach to special teams strategy. The Niners have generally tried to prioritize stability in their kick return game over potentially more dynamic options.