Coaching Shake-Up: 49ers Part Ways with Head Coach Amidst Disappointing Season
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — In his first three years as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, Kyle Shanahan has maintained a surprising amount of coaching consistency. There were few changes.In 2021, however, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh left to become the head coach of the New York Jets, taking a handful of Niners assistants with him. The Niners had 13 coaches who were either new or held a different title than in 2020.
That theme carried into this offseason as the Ninersand#039; the coaching staff has undergone its biggest overhaul since Shanahan’s departure, with 14 coaches either new or with different responsibilities than last season.Among the departures were offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel — Shanahan’s longtime lieutenant and executive architect turned Miami Dolphins head coach — linebacker Bobby Turner (who is taking a year off to deal with health issues) and assistant coach Jon Embree (also joining the Dolphins) .
San Francisco lost all of its offensive line coaches except for Chris Foerster, who leads the offensive line and added a playmaking coordinator to his duties.andquot;It was hard,andquot; Shanahan said. andquot;It worried me a little. When the season ends, you want to go away and just check yourself, but it’s hard when you lose a coach.
You and you have to work on it and it was a little stressful at first because you lose so many guys that you used to work with, guys that are your friends and also guys that you and #039 were addicted to. for a while. You have to go through a process that’s not always so fun.andquot;San Francisco andquot;brain drainquot; is one of the biggest problems facing the team in the next season.
But Shanahan has earned credit for his ability to identify and develop coaching talent. Saleh and McDaniel were the first coordinators to move into head coaching positions, and current defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans is likely to be next.The changes this offseason made were so significant that Shanahan and the staff did something they had never done before: They skipped the NFL scouting convention in Indianapolis.
The goal was to introduce new recruits to the system and the basics of teaching it, as well as dive into free agency and draft opportunities knowing what each position needs.None of Shanahanand #039’s new hires; raised more eyebrows than new quarterbacks coach Brian Griese, in his first year as a coach at any level, tasked with preparing second-year quarterback Trey Lance.Griese played 11 NFL seasons as a quarterback, including five for Shanahan’s father, Mike, with the Denver Broncos and two years as an offensive assistant to Kyle Shanahan with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. When coach Rich Scangarello left to become the offensive coordinator at the University of Kentucky, Shanahan heard through friends in Denver that Griese was interested in the job.After two years working on ESPN’s Monday Night Football, Griese told Shanahan he was serious about leaving the department to coach. Shanahan interviewed several candidates, but he liked the opportunity to bring someone with a fresh perspective who could help Lance in all aspects of the job.
Former running backs coordinator Bobby Slowik and assistant quarterbacks coach Klay Kubiak helped, but Shanahan wasn’t worried about the franchise’s rookie coach and its most important player.Shanahan jokingly said he doesn’t understand why “TV announcers want to be coaches or GMs. They seem to have a pretty good show. But [Griesel] has a huge passion for football.
I started working with Gries in Tampa for two years. I think he was the smartest football player ever. How he prepared, how organized he was. He was as detailed a guy as Iand#039; never was I thought you could bring something else to the quarterback position.andquot;Trainers will undoubtedly have a learning curve as they adjust to new jobs. Players also need some time to get used to the new faces around them.
Close relationships like Embree’s with tight end George Kittle or the bond between McDaniel and linebacker Kyle Juszczyk don’t happen overnight.To help with all of this, the Niners took a page from Bill Walsh, who recorded all of his practice games.
It’s something the Niners have done under Shanahan, and it’s been a valuable tool to help the revamped staff achieve. Hopefully, the new additions will get a sense of how Shanahan wants things done without injecting his own personality into those boardrooms.Ultimately, this should lead to well-equipped educators who can take the next step..
andquot;It’s a lot easier to show a new coach, and#039;Hey, that’s how we do our settings, that’s how we coached that particular position, and#039;andquot; 49ers general manager Jed York said. andquot;And it makes boarding much easier. …
I think Kyle gives you an opportunity to learn and grow as a coach. … It’s a good culture and I think it’s a culture where people who want to continue their career or restart their career is a good place to come.andquot;Access to the highest-profile coaching job is a double-edged sword, making it easier for Shanahan to hire good, experienced coaches like new head coach Anthony Lynn, but his phone number is also the number most searched for. this side of the Powerball.and that’s why I keep trying to change my phone number because it’s hard, andquot; Shanahan said. andquot;But those are the things you have to do and you try to find the right guys, and it’s not just the best guy, it’s the best fit for your staff, the best fit for the role.
And there are a lot of different paths to take here, but I feel good about where we are. andquot;.
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