Atlanta Falcons

Kyle Shanahan's Backpack/Game Plans Swiped by Accident

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:03 p.m. ET

Fansided, George Stockburger/FanSided via NFL Mocks

The whereabouts of Bill Belichick were unknown when Kyle Shanahan’s backpack disappeared

Is it time to declare “backpack gate” and concoct conspiracy theories yet? Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan went on a search frenzy after the Super Bowl media day after his backpack went missing. Inside his backpack were the Falcons game plans for Super Bowl 51 against the New England Patriots.

Apparently, 78-year-old San Francisco Examiner reporter Art Spander had mistaken Shanahan’s backpack as his own and took it during the Falcons offensive coordinators media availability.

Jarrett Bell of USA Today said Shanahan stayed in the facility searching for his bag until another writer realized Spander had mistakenly taken the wrong bag.

Spander was surely more focused on hearing from the presumptive head coach of his San Francisco 49ers than keeping track of his luggage.

Kyle Shanahan getting plenty of attention. pic.twitter.com/lyvIMeYqky

— Marc Sessler (@MarcSesslerNFL) January 31, 2017

But of course, the Patriots being in the same building when the opposing offensive coordinator’s game plans go missing sends some alarms through the heads of Falcons fans.

Atlanta OC Kyle Shanahan “temporarily lost his playbook and game plan” at media day pic.twitter.com/dDo7XAj0GE

— Mike Flanagan (@fLAno0) January 31, 2017

@SNFonNBC man what if Kyle Shanahan is so smart that that’s a fake game plan to confuse the Pats?? pic.twitter.com/hjmu6HMWx0

— Jamie (@JamieMcCloud_) January 31, 2017

When you have Spygate and Deflategate, Backpackgate is nothing out of the ordinary. Hopefully, Roger Goodell finds some presumptions to suspend someone over this mistake.

Aside from Backpackgate, Shanahan praised recently hired 49ers general manager John Lynch, and hinted towards his father, Mike Shanahan, not being a member of any future coaching staff.