The 49ers’ search for a head coach looks set to feature one less name and potentially the one upon which the franchise was fixated. Josh McDaniels is set to bow out of the race to focus on the Patriots’ playoff run, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports also reports (on Twitter) it’s “very unlikely” McDaniels takes this job, with the 40-year-old coach set to remain with the Patriots for at least one more season. Tom Curran of CSNNE.com tweets McDaniels is indeed staying, so Tom Brady will have his OC back in the likely event he returns for his age-40 season in 2017.
McDaniels confirmed he will stay with the Patriots. “At this time, best for family and myself to remain here in New England,” he said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
This leaves Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan and Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable as the finalists, with the remaining candidates having accepted HC positions elsewhere.
Deep into his second stint as the Patriots’ offensive play-caller, McDaniels has reservations about moving his family across the country for a job that has obviously not been stable over the past few years, La Canfora tweets. The CBS reporter refers to this (Twitter link) as a personal decision for the OC, who interviewed with the 49ers, Rams and Jaguars only to see the latter two franchises go with coaches whose teams had been eliminated. McDaniels will have coached in five straight AFC championship games since resuming his Pats post, but the 49ers were interested and willing to wait.
The reporter adds (Twitter link) the franchise is “very high” on Shanahan, who would figure to have a prestige edge on Cable due to the disparate successes of the coaches’ units this season. San Francisco is “honing in” on Shanahan, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). And the team no longer has any competition for the Atlanta play-caller’s services. But Cable making it this far into an expansive search despite Seattle’s struggles up front — with rookie-deal players and patchwork veterans — points to the former Raiders HC having impressed during his interview.
McDaniels at one point during this process viewed the 49ers job as the top position on the market, even though the franchise has cycled through coaches at a historic pace. San Francisco will have a fourth coach in four years and has now interviewed five coaches for the position.
Please let us hire Kyle now please. Please not that women beater Cable.
If it is Cable basically you have to just abandon being a fan of the niners, it would show there in no hope except York’s selling which doesn’t seem likely.
Wow. Thought he wanted this job. This guy and Shanahan I wanted most so hopefully we can get Shanahan.
Oh man! McDaniels was the one that I wanted, especially with the idea of him maybe bringing a quarterback from the patriots. Shanahan is a close second. There is no way that I would want Tom Cable. Woman beater. Hot head. Why would York even consider him? If he becomes the head coach, I will cancel my NFL Sunday ticket, and quit watching.
Wow, SF goes through coaches faster than Cleveland.
Guess it’s better to ride the coattails than take another chance and fail miserably.
someone a little salty?
I’m not a 49ers fan. I just think he wants an ideal situation having failed once as a HC. Failing miserably this time would likely mean he wouldn’t get another shot.
He might as well just hang out with the Patriots. It’s a stable job and he doesn’t want to keep moving his family around. What’s wrong with that?
There is nothing wrong with it… but why interview for jobs and then use your family as the reason for not taking the job? Didn’t he know where the 49ers were located prior to the interview?
Maybe now Jed Dork will hire one of his old teammates from his high school baseball team that is really really good at Madden
As a Raiders fan please, please hire Tom Cable.
Why? He’s coaching with the Seahawks now it wouldn’t affect the Raiders in any way
LOL the Niners offseason continuing how the season went.
If they land Shanahan they’ve made the best HC hire out of all the teams, so I don’t understand this thought process.
NINERS need to to offer a sweet deal and do what ever it takes to bring mc Daniels the money is there make it happen stop bullshitting let’s make it happen
Perhaps this could be an indication that he may be a “coach-in-waiting” for the Patriots. Belichick will be 65 next season. A championship could be the way to go out.
Smart move by McDaniels. Why in hell would McDaniels want to move his young Family across the country to a once great organization that is no more and hasn’t been relevant in football for many years. They change HC’s every other year it seems and never seem to be happy with anyone including Harbaugh. The Kraft Family thinks very highly of McDaniels and I’m sure they have convinced him that staying with NE is best for him and his Family. Family with the Krafts is “very important”! Good decision!
Cmon people he removed his name from job because it was an ego thing. The guy didn’t want to lose out to people he thought was inferior to him. He is a very egotistical and thinks of himself superior to others. Plain and simple
He moved them for the Broncos job.
Yeah. Anyone coach would move anywhere for the right job. McDaniels moved a few times. He will definitely do it again. Unless BB retires when TB does – which would not be surprising at all. Without TB, it’s all downhill for BB. Then maybe McDaniels or Patricia take over for BB.
The 49ers are a dumpster fire of an organization. Good teams hire a GM first and that GM hires the coach. This team does things ass backwards
YES! Good call J McD.
Smart man. The 49ers are now probably going with Kyle lol.
Lets hope Kyle Shanahan doesn’t remove his name from the Head Coaching Job than we will probably have no choice but to hire Tom Cable. (Jesus I hope that doesn’t happen).
Something that should appeal to these candidates is that there is no GM and you are bringing someone that you want. You have the #2 overall pick and have the 2nd most cap money to work with. If Shanahan “is hired” and is able to draft a QB to develop and WRs to make him better this team could be better. I would say the 49ers have a legit shot at 8-8 season if they can hit on a QB.
I don’t get taking a QB in the top 10 of this draft, imo it’s Watson then everyone else and Watson right now is 11-15 pick imo. Plenty of quarterbacks that have pro bowl potential in the second round or later
Mc.Daniels got scared.