Greenlaw's injury: DeMeco Ryans Reflects on Emotional Super Bowl LVIII

Even though he is no longer employed by the 49ers, head coach of the Houston Texans DeMeco Ryans was nevertheless hurt by his previous team’s Super Bowl LVIII defeat.

When the Kansas City Chiefs scored the touchdown at the end of the game, Ryans remarked, “I literally dropped on the floor.” “I was present. Naturally, I felt as though I was still a part of it.

In 2017, Ryans began his coaching career with the 49ers as a defensive quality control coach. From 2018 to 2020, he served as the team’s linebackers coach. He was appointed defensive coordinator in 2021 and remained in that role until 2023, when he was hired as head coach of the Texans.

Thanks to Kyle Shanahan, Ryans has always been appreciative of the 49ers head coach’s preparation for becoming an NFL head coach.

“Kyle puts in a lot of work, and he deserves to win the Super Bowl, so I really wanted to see him and those guys win,” Ryans remarked. “I felt like I was there and still a part of it, and it was unfortunate to see them come up short.”

The Saturday before the Super Bowl, Ryans and his wife welcomed a baby girl into their home, but he was still able to watch the game at home the following day with his elder kids. The former linebacker was unaware of Dre Greenlaw’s injuries in real time because the Ryans family was watching the Nickelodeon coverage.

For his old mentor, Greenlaw’s Achilles injury was a kick in the gut. Until the end of the game, Ryans didn’t give up faith that the 49ers could win the game.

Ryans remarked, “I was watching it on the couch, and it was heartbreaking.” “I was so upset that I actually collapsed on the ground. They seemed to have played a fantastic game vs the league’s best QB. And it was disappointing to witness them lose in that manner after they took the actions they did.

The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, C.J. Stroud, and the young, up-and-coming Texans club mean that Ryans can perhaps play his old team in a Super Bowl not too far off.