Todd Andrew Shell, a first-round draft pick and two-time Super Bowl champion linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers, died on November 1, 2026, at the age of 64.
He passed away peacefully in his sleep, according to his family’s obituary. A cause of death was not publicly disclosed.
Born June 24, 1962, in Mesa, Arizona, Shell starred at Mountain View High School, where he helped the Toros capture their first state championship in 1978.
He continued his career at Brigham Young University, earning first-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors in 1983. Over his college career he recorded 13 sacks and nine interceptions.
The 49ers selected him with the 24th overall pick in the 1984 NFL Draft.
As a rookie, Shell made history in Week 13 against the New Orleans Saints by becoming the first NFL rookie to record at least two sacks and an interception return for a touchdown in the same game (a 53-yard pick-six).
He played four seasons in San Francisco (1984–1987), appearing in 38 games with seven sacks, five interceptions, and one touchdown.
He contributed to Super Bowl XIX as a rookie and was part of the Super Bowl XXIII championship team.
Shell’s NFL career ended abruptly in July 1988 when he suffered a spinal cord injury in a training-camp collision with teammate Ron Heller.
The injury left him paralyzed, and he never played another professional game.
He later coached in the Arena Football League with the San Jose SaberCats, New York Dragons (where he was named Coach of the Year in 2003), and Arizona Rattlers.
He served as defensive coordinator for the Rattlers’ 1994 Arena Bowl title team and later as head coach.
The 49ers issued a statement mourning “former linebacker and Super Bowl XIX Champion Todd Shell” and extending condolences to his wife, Kelli, and the entire Shell family.
Mountain View High School planned tributes, including No. 90 helmet decals, a moment of silence, and his jersey brought to midfield for the coin toss.
Shell is survived by his wife of 46 years, Kelli; daughter Krystal; and five grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his son Tanner, who died in 2025 at age 44. Friends and former teammates, including longtime BYU and 49ers associate Tom Holmoe, remembered him as a fierce competitor, loyal friend, and devoted family man whose greatest joy was being “Papa.”
Shell’s journey—from Mesa high school star to Super Bowl champion to community supporter—left a lasting mark on those who played with him, coached under him, and knew him in Arizona.
