On Saturday, Kyle Shanahan, head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, addressed his recent car accident for the first time since the team began training camp. He confirmed he is nearly at full strength and intends to coach in the preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday.

The accident, which occurred on July 14, left Shanahan with multiple injuries, including a concussion, three broken ribs, and a broken left hand. He has scaled back some of his coaching duties while he recovers, stating, "I try not to come in here every single day because I feel like, if I did, I wouldn't be able to pull off my normal routine, which is watching hours and hours of tape."

In a private meeting with reporters last month, Shanahan clarified the details of the crash, stating he crossed into oncoming traffic, not the other driver, who was 21 years old. During Saturday's press conference, he revealed he was using the autopilot feature in his Tesla Model S at the time of the accident. The incident happened after he dropped his phone and briefly took his eyes off the road.

Shanahan, who has used autopilot for nine years, expressed uncertainty about whether the crash resulted from a malfunction or if he had accidentally disabled the feature while retrieving his phone. "Anytime you cause an accident that can be avoided, you feel pretty stupid, especially when you have a chance to hurt someone else," he admitted. He emphasized the importance of maintaining focus, stating, "Whether you're on autopilot or not, you can't take your eyes off the road. It's a partnership, driving; you don't just turn it over to a computer."