The 49ers are promoting Klay Kubiak to offensive coordinator, per NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco, though head coach Kyle Shanahan said that he will retain play-calling duties.
Kubiak, who was the offensive passing game specialist in 2024, will become the 49ers’ first coach since Mike McDaniel to hold the title.
There could be several reasons for Kubiak’s promotion. The title bump, which likely comes with a pay increase, may be an attempt to keep Kubiak from considering offensive coordinator jobs with other teams. Despite a myriad of injuries, the 49ers still finished with the fourth-most passing yards in the league this year, despite ranking 22nd in total passing attempts.
The 49ers could be trying to help their young coach’s career. A year of OC experience could increase Kubiak’s chances of drawing head coaching interest in next year’s hiring cycle. McDaniel was San Francisco’s offensive coordinator during the 2021 season before he was hired as the head coach in Miami.
Shanahan could also want to spend more time with the defense after falling to 29th in points allowed this season after three straight finishes in the top 10. He mentioned Brandon Staley – currently the 49ers’ assistant head coach – as an option to replace defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen, per the Bay Area News Group’s Cam Inman. Sorensen will not have a second year as DC, but could return to the team as special teams coordinator.
Since the 49ers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020, they will have more time to interview coaching candidates in the coming weeks.
Nepo Babies unite and merge to become Heythat’sSoandSo’sKid.
It’s called pedigree. These men weren’t handed their titles, they earned them. Big difference than the Hollywood slogan of Nepo babies you are labeling them with
They’re guaranteed at least a foot in the door and often much more of a look in an extremely difficult field to break into because of who they’re related to. It’s exactly the same thing.
Exactly, even if they don’t start in a big time spot they are handed lower jobs. They just have to not mess up terribly like Andy Reid’s kid. Coaches are more likely to create some job for their kid or use a connection to get them on a staff. Wasn’t Gruden’s son a strength and conditioning for him?
Honest question, and not just relating to the 49ers. What does an OC do if he’s not the one designing the scheme and plays, calling plays, doing the script, etc? The other phases of the offense (qb, rb, lines, etc) all have their own coaches already
There’s still tons of stuff to do, especially because head coaches get spread incredibly thin and often can’t be around nearly as much as a play caller normally would be. On game day, it might involve things like managing substitutions and running through game plans. The rest of the week, it can be teaching plays, film sessions, running practices, etc. But also, it’s not like the chief play caller/architect is the only one designing plays or working on the script. Jourdain Rodrique did a podcast series for The Athletic called The Playcallers that talked about the Shanahan tree, and those guys talked a lot about how people like Mike McDaniel were coming up with plays and trying to get them in the playbook while on Shanahan’s staffs.
Thanks a lot man! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer that
Happy to.