There were a couple of exposures in 2025 where Kyle Shanahan was visibly upset with cornerback Renardo Green. At the NFL meetings, Shanahan discussed why he reacted the way he did toward Green and why those on the outside shouldn’t view it negatively.
Here’s Shanahan’s message to Green:
To keep going at it and never be satisfied with where you’re at. When I get on a guy, I know it can sound weird, but I’m always upset if someone’s not playing the best they possibly can. I believe so much in Renardo.
Just the type of guy he is. The talent he is. He’s a dude I loved coming out of college. I loved him his rookie year. And I loved him here.
But when a guy doesn’t do his best, which happens a lot, and I react the way I did—and that was when I took him out for a play—I thought he messed up on a coverage. I wanted to challenge him and go back in and do better. Sometimes, that can get competitive.
The one thing I always try to tell these guys and the people that have been around me, if I’m getting on someone and challenging someone, it’s because I really believe in them. And I’m upset that I’m not getting their fullest at any given time.
I believe Renardo can be a very good player. I think he will be a very good player. I think he’s done some good things. We are in trouble if I’m never challenging you, if I’m never getting on you. It really shows that I don’t believe you can do any better. I think Renardo has done some really good things. I think he’s played at a starter level. I have much higher expectations for him.
Tough love. That’s what Shanahan sounded like when discussing Green. Maybe it’s not even tough love. In Shanahan’s mind, his way of getting through to Green was by taking him out to show his second-year cornerback that he is replaceable.
Of course, the timing and the result couldn’t have been worse. Green came out, and his replacement, Darrell Luter, gave up a touchdown.
Shanahan’s answer might close the door on the 49ers addressing a cornerback with one of their early picks in the NFL Draft. Earlier during the session, Shanahan was talking about when he can tell whether or not he knows a player can cut it in the NFL. Shanahan said, “The second year usually separates people.”
Zoom out, and Green allowed the 10th-lowest completion percentage among all cornerbacks in the NFL. Green was also the 10th-best in man coverage situations, only allowing a 38.5 percent completion percentage while tying for third in “forced incompletions,” or passes he altered.
Those numbers are good for any cornerback, let alone a player in his second season. It would make little sense for the Niners to punt on Green—especially with the way the roster is currently constructed.
