SANTA CLARA CA — He was the president for the first three years. San Francisco 49ersKyle Shanahan, the head coach, managed to maintain surprising levels of continuity with his coaching staff. Changes were rare and few.
However, in 2021, Robert Saleh, the defensive coordinator, departed to become the coach of the team. New York JetsHe brought along a few Niners assistants. The 2019 Niners had 13 coaches, all of whom were either new to the team or held a different title. This theme continued into the offseason when 14 of the Niners’ coaches were either new to the team or had a different role.
In the group of those leaving were Mike McDaniel (offensive coordinator) — a Shanahan lieutenant who was also a run-game architect and became the head coach. Miami DolphinsBobby Turner, the running back whisperer, is taking the year off to deal with some health issues. Jon Embree is the assistant head coach and is also joining the Dolphins. San Francisco lost all offensive positions coaches except Chris Foerster. Foerster handles the offensive line, and also added run-game coordinator duties to his duties.
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Shanahan stated, “It was difficult.” It threw me off balance a bit. It’s hard to let go of the season and be completely unaffected by losing coaches. It’s a process that requires a lot of effort. You lose friends, family members, and people you have relied on for a while. You have to endure a difficult process.
As the team heads towards next season, San Francisco’s brain drain is a major problem. Shanahan is a coach who has proven his ability to find and develop talent. McDaniel and Saleh were the first-time coordinators to move on to head coaching positions. DeMeco Ryans, who is currently the defensive coordinator, is likely to follow.
These changes were so important that Shanahan and his staff skipped the NFL scouting Combine in Indianapolis. This was done to familiarize new staff with the scheme and the basics of teaching it. It also allowed them to explore free-agent draft prospects and gain a better understanding of the requirements at each position.
Brian Griese is the new quarterbacks coach at Shanahan. He is in his first year of coaching at any level, and is charged with developing second-year quarterbacks. Trey Lance.
Griese played eleven NFL seasons as a quarterback, five for Shanahan’s father, Mike. Denver BroncosKyle Shanahan was an offensive assistant for the NFL for two years. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Shanahan was informed by friends in Denver about the interest Griese expressed in the job when Rich Scangarello, quarterbacks coach, left for the University of Kentucky to be the offensive coordinator.
Shanahan met Griese after he had worked for two years on ESPN’s Monday Night Football. He told Shanahan that he was serious about becoming a coach. Shanahan interviewed several candidates but was drawn to the idea of hiring someone with fresh perspectives who could help Lance with all aspects of the job. Shanahan didn’t worry about having a new coach guiding the franchise’s most important player, despite the assistance of Bobby Slowik as passing-game coordinator and Klay Kubicak as assistant quarterbacks coach.
Shanahan laughed and said that he didn’t understand why TV announcers wanted to become a coach or general manager. They appear to have a very good job. But [Griese]Has a passion for football. I had the opportunity to work for Griese two years in Tampa. I think he was one of the smartest football players I’ve ever seen. He was organized and meticulous in the way he prepared. He was the most detail-oriented person I have ever seen. It was a nice thing that you could bring something to the quarterback position.
As they adjust to their new roles, coaches will face a learning curve. Players will need to take some time to adjust and get used to the new people around them. Close relationships like that of Embree with close end George KittleMcDaniel/fulback bond Kyle JuszczykYou can’t conjure this up overnight.
The Niners followed Bill Walsh’s lead and recorded every meeting their coaches led. The Niners have been doing this under Shanahan and it has helped the new staff catch up. Shanahan hopes that new members will be able to see how things should be done, without taking away their personality from the meeting rooms.
That should eventually lead to coaches who are well-rounded and capable of taking on the next level.
It’s much easier to show a coach how we do our installation, and this is how I have been coaching this particular position,” Jed York, 49ers CEO, said. “It just makes it so easy to onboard. … Kyle offers you the opportunity to grow and learn as a coach. … It’s an excellent culture and people who are looking to improve their career or restart it should consider it.
The double-edged sword that Shanahan has the ability to recruit experienced, good coaches like Anthony Lynn as his assistant head coach is making it easier for him to do so. However, Lynn’s phone number is one of the most sought-after numbers this side of the Powerball.
Shanahan stated, “That’s why it’s so hard to change my number every day. It’s something you have to do, and you need to try to find the right men. And it’s not about who is the best man, but who will fit in your team the best. There are many avenues that we can take, but I’m happy with where we are at the moment.