Jed York said this week he’d been warned about Kyle Shanahan when he set out to find a new coach three years ago. The critique: He thinks he knows everything.



Instead, York found someone he characterized as direct. The first thing head-coach hopefuls say in their interviews with owners is how well they can work with the team’s existing talent. Shanahan’s message to York in January 2017: Everything must go.



“You heard those negative things, but he’s just honest and direct,” York said Friday, as the 49ers were making some of their last preparations before flying to Miami for their Feb. 2 Super Bowl matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. “And it’s hard when you’re in my position to know if someone is being truly honest and direct and when someone’s kissing your ass. And Kyle is very, very direct.”



And he’s a lot more than that. We asked the people who have known Shanahan the longest to give...