Kyle Shanahan: 49ers Will Not Allow Lateral Move For OC Klay Kubiak
Like his brother Klint, 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak has received interest from multiple teams regarding their head coaching vacancy.
However, if another team comes calling after Kubiak for their offensive coordinator job, San Francisco intends to block such a move, even if it comes with play-calling duties.
“He’s our offensive coordinator, so I don’t know, why would you let him be somebody else’s offensive coordinator,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Saturday (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows). He added that Kubiak “calls a lot of plays here,” suggesting that an offensive coordinator gig elsewhere may not offer him much more than his current role in San Francisco.
That may not be entirely accurate. Kubiak is only the second coach to hold the 49ers’ OC title in Shanahan’s tenure, and the head coach is still considered the team’s main play-caller. Getting out from under Shanahan’s shadow would allow Kubiak to be the primary architect of his own offense. He could demonstrate his ability to bring one of the league’s signature offensive schemes and even add his own wrinkles to further establish his own identity. Success in that role, particularly as a full-time play-caller, would boost Kubiak’s resume for potential future head coaching opportunities.
It seems, though, that he will not get that chance. Kubiak could petition the 49ers to let him out of his contract for a lateral move to another offensive coordinator gig, but the team does not have to oblige him. If that remains their stance, Kubiak may have to wait out his current deal or wait for an offer for a head coaching job to land with a different team. Shanahan’s only other offensive coordinator in the past nine years, Mike McDaniel, was able to vault directly into the Dolphins’ head coaching job without a stint elsewhere, so the potential is certainly there for Kubiak, too.
Kyle Shanahan: Brandon Aiyuk Has Been ‘Extremely Distant’ Since Injury
The 49ers placed wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk on the reserve/left squad list last week, raising significant questions about his future in San Francisco.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has since revealed more details about the strained relationship between Aiyuk and the 49ers. He said (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows) that Aiyuk has been “extremely distant” since his ACL injury in Week 7 of the 2024 season. That estrangement only grew this year; at the time of his move to the left squad list, the team had not heard from Aiyuk in over a month, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur.
Shanahan’s revelations add even more confusion into a drawn-out saga with Aiyuk that, including his contract standoff last offseason, has taken up virtually all of the last two years. The team believed that the four-year, $120MM extension would ease tensions with its star wideout, but Aiyuk’s somewhat slow start to the 2024 season and subsequent injury put the two sides at odds once again. The complete disconnect, though, is remarkable, given that the 49ers did eventually bow to Aiyuk’s demands and sign him to a massive contract.
San Francisco already voided the remaining guarantees on Aiyuk’s contract, which makes it financially easier to trade him. However, other teams may be hoping that the 49ers release him instead to end the situation as quickly as possible. That would allow them to sign Aiyuk at a much cheaper rate than his current contract. Aiyuk may also be angling for the same outcome so he can pick his next destination.
More light has also been shed on another complicated 49ers injury situation. Quarterback Brock Purdy missed Weeks 2 and 3 with turf toe and an injury to his non-throwing shoulder. He returned in Week 4 and played the entire game, but re-aggravated his toe in the process. Purdy was then sidelined for six more games, though he was not placed on injured reserve. His recovery was marked by intermittent practices and consistent uncertainty about his return timeline.
As it turns out, the 49ers intentionally slow-played Purdy’s return. He sought several medical opinions on his toe, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, and every doctor told him that surgery was not necessary. The 49ers opted to take a cautious approach with Purdy’s recovery to make sure that the issue did not linger for the rest of the season.
That plan seems to have worked out. The 49ers did not exactly thrive in Purdy’s absence, but Mac Jones kept the offense afloat. San Francisco alternated wins and losses until Purdy returned to the field in Week 11. Since then, they have won four straight games and are currently the NFC’s No. 2 wild card team. With Purdy back in the fold, the 49ers might be peaking at the right time to finish the season strong, secure a playoff spot, and go on a run in the postseason.
Latest On 49ers’ Injuries
San Francisco is one of a few teams that have been bitten especially hard by the injury bug this season. Luckily, they’ve avoided the injury to their star running back that had everyone worried about to start the year, but in a crucial divisional matchup last night, the 49ers’ injury report ruled out five players, including the starting quarterback and three wide receivers. 
San Francisco was able to pull out a victory in last night’s game despite the team that’s taken so many hits thus far taking a few more in Los Angeles. The successful trip saw injuries sustained by defensive tackles Kalia Davis, Yetur Gross-Matos, and rookie Alfred Collins, as well as rookie cornerback Upton Stout, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. The only one who appears to have gotten off easy is Stout, who avoided a high ankle sprain, just suffered a regular ankle sprain, and is currently day-to-day.
Davis, on the other hand, will require surgery to repair a broken bone in his hand. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the procedure was scheduled to take place today. There’s some thought that Davis could potentially miss as few as two games. As a defensive lineman, Davis doesn’t have too much use for the gripping mechanic of that appendage in a game, and some expect him to return to play with a club cast on his hand.
Gross-Matos had just come off his only full practice of the week as he worked his way back from a knee injury. While the knee seemingly held up last night, Gross-Matos is now set to miss time with a hamstring strain, which could mean a multi-week absence. The rookie, Collins, suffered a sprained knee. With the Thursday Night Football matchup allowing for a bit more time to recover before their next game, Collins may stand a chance at not missing time, depending on the severity of the sprain.
Lastly, while we knew that star tight end George Kittle would be eligible to return from injured reserve in Week 6 after being placed on list after the season opener, we’ve finally received some insight on a more specific timeline. Per Vic Tafur of The Athletic, head coach Kyle Shanahan informed the media that Kittle likely will not be able to make it back until at least Week 7. At best, this will limit the veteran in-line pass catcher to a five-game absence.
49ers Seeking New OC; Shanahan Still Calling Plays
JANUARY 10: NFL rules will not permit the 49ers to promote passing game specialist Klint Kubiak to offensive coordinator, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Since the position was previously closed, San Francisco will have to conduct an open search process. Shanahan previously said that Kubiak has been the 49ers’ de facto OC for the last two years, but that will not allow the team to skirt league rules regarding hire processes.
Kubiak will certainly be the team’s top candidate for the job, but they will have to interview outside candidates in the coming weeks. That will have to include at least two minority candidates in accordance with the NFL’s Rooney Rule.
JANUARY 8: The 49ers are planning to promote 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.
Jed York: 49ers Will Retain Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch For 2025
Little (if anything) has gone according to plan for the 49ers this season. Monday night’s loss leaves the team with a 6-10 record, but major changes on the sidelines or in the front office will not be coming. 
[RELATED: 49ers Unlikely To Replace DC Nick Sorensen?]
Owner Jed York said prior to last night’s game that head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch will be back for 2025 (h/t the San Francisco Standard via ESPN). That comes as no surprise given the pairing’s track record of success, but it will end speculation about their respective futures. Shanahan and Lynch have been in place together since 2018.
That stretch has included four trips to the NFC title game along with a pair of Super Bowl appearances. No championships have been won under the Lynch/Shanahan regime, but that (general) run of consistent success resulted in new contracts last year. A dismissal of either would have therefore come as a major surprise even in the wake of this year’s underwhelming showing. Injuries have played a major factor on both sides of the ball, and a return to health from several key players will be welcomed in 2025.
Shanahan’s name has been floated as a potential candidate for a team looking to replace its head coach, with the Bears in particular being mentioned as a landing spot. Lynch emphatically shot down that speculation earlier this month, however, and Shanahan himself stated his desire to remain in San Francisco for the foreseeable future. Any movement in his case would have required York and the 49ers’ ownership group changing course only one year after authorizing an extension. To little surprise, that will not happen.
Once Week 18 comes and goes, attention will turn to the offseason and the multitude of key decisions which need to be made. Quarterback Brock Purdy will be eligible for an extension, while several key players remain on track for free agency. Safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw are among those high on the team’s list of preferred targets for a re-signing, but expensive pacts for San Francisco’s offensive core will make it difficult on a number of fronts to commitment to new contracts elsewhere on the roster.
A return to contention will be expected for next year in San Francisco’s case, especially with continuity regarding the team’s top decision-makers. As the coaching landscape takes shape over the coming weeks, meanwhile, Shanahan’s name will no longer emerge as one to watch.
NFL Coaching Rumors: Bears, Shanahan, Sanders
As we continue to inch closer to the end of the season, head coaching jobs are becoming open, and more and more speculations are connecting candidates to new locations. According to Diana Russini of The Athletic, there are quite a few mixed opinions on whether or not Chicago is a premier destination for a new head coach.
There are certainly factors that make the Bears an attractive team to coach. Rookie No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams has shown promise throughout his first season on the team. There are a few other young, talented players ready to be developed, and even with some veteran contributors likely to be on their way out soon, Chicago should be in a pretty good position salary cap-wise over the next few years.
The issue comes from the organization’s management. For years and years now, horror stories have come out of Halas Hall concerning the uncertain hierarchy in the building. Candidates and their agents are doing research on team president Kevin Warren and general manager Ryan Poles in order to determine who will have the ability and intent to potentially overrule the head coach. How stable or risky the situation is will likely contribute to the quality of candidates that interview for the job.
Here are a few other rumors about coaching situations across the NFL:
- We touched recently on some of the “comical” rumors that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was approaching a hot seat. General manager John Lynch shut down those rumors, but Shanahan felt the need to speak on a similar rumor after today’s win, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. When asked about speculation that another team should trade for him this offseason, Shanahan told the media, “I don’t want to be any place in the world more than here.”
- In what has been viewed as a relatively weak candidate pool for head coaching candidates this year, some college coaching names are popping up in conversations. One name that many have been looking for is fast-rising Colorado head coach and NFL Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders. Sanders began his head coaching career at Jackson State, finding immediate success that led to his hiring at Colorado. After a rough first year under Sanders, the Buffaloes turned it around with a 9-3 season behind two separate Heisman candidates this season. With his obvious connections to certain NFL franchises, it makes sense that this would be the next step for Sanders, but according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, his name has not been making the rounds in coaching circles yet. The two teams that he has been linked to as a good fit, the Cowboys and Raiders, don’t have open coaching jobs, and he is currently not viewed as a natural fit for Chicago, New Orleans, or New York.
49ers GM John Lynch Shuts Down Kyle Shanahan Rumors
The curse of a Super Bowl hangover may be just a superstition, but 49ers fans may be believers after suffering through a brutally injury-plagued season for the second time immediately following a loss in the sport’s season finale. The last time San Francisco missed the playoffs, they finished 6-10 in 2020, following their first loss to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. After losing to them again this past February, the 49ers currently sit at 5-7, good for last place in the NFC West. 
Going from just missing out on the ultimate prize in football to losing more games than you’re winning is obviously going to create an adverse reaction in fans, but those in the Bay Area are reportedly questioning if head coach Kyle Shanahan‘s seat is beginning to heat up. General manager John Lynch shut down any rumors of that nature today before they could even begin to take root, per Kevin Patra of NFL.com.
“The standard here is to win championships, and we’ve fallen short of that, I understand,” Lynch began, “but we have an excellent head coach, and the fact that people are talking about stuff like that, I do find it comical.”
Lynch points out that, despite the lack of Lombardi trophies, San Francisco has seen unprecedented success under Shanahan. The team has won the NFC West in four of the past five seasons, they’ve played in each of the past three NFC Championship games, and they’ve appeared in two Super Bowls. While disappointment over the current season is warranted, the want for change in the head coaching position may be a bit of an overreaction.
This is especially likely due to the reason the 49ers have experienced losing seasons when they have: injuries. During their 6-10 season, the team saw Nick Mullens make eight starts and C.J. Beathard make two starts when Jimmy Garoppolo‘s 2020 season came to an end after only playing six games. Starting running back Raheem Mostert only got eight games thanks to two stints on injured reserve, forcing starts by Jeff Wilson and Jerick McKinnon. Brandon Aiyuk missed four games, George Kittle missed eight games, and Deebo Samuel missed nine games that year, as well. On defense, ends Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas missed all but two games, linebacker Kwon Alexander missed 11, and defensive backs Richard Sherman and Jaquiski Tartt missed 11 and nine games, respectively.
This year, Aiyuk suffered a season-ending injury after only seven games, Christian McCaffrey‘s two stints on IR have limited him to only four contests, and even McCaffrey’s surprisingly successful replacement, Jordan Mason, has now been lost for an extended time. On defense, safety Talanoa Hufanga has struggled to return to the field, cornerback Charvarius Ward has missed four games, and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave only played in three games before suffering a season-ending injury. They’ve even had to shuffle special teamers as kicker Jake Moody and punter Mitch Wishnowsky have missed a combined six games.
Lynch understands this better than most, considering it’s been his job to restock at the thinning positions. “I think we’ve been through a lot as a team — this current team — with a lot of stuff that has happened to members of our organization,” Lynch explained. “Injuries, tragic circumstances, ultimately those are just excuses. One thing I can tell you is: I’m proud of how this group has stuck together, had each other’s back. The other thing I can tell you is: the story’s not written yet. We’re still grinding, and we’re still playing.”
He’s not wrong. Despite sitting at 11th in the NFC and last in the West, the 49ers are only two games back of the division-leading Seahawks. Next Gen Stats gives San Francisco a 10 percent chance to make the playoffs and a five percent chance to win the division — long odds, but they’re certainly not dead.
Lastly, an old adage still holds very true: if you’re going to fire a head coach, there should be someone better that you can hire right away. With Shanahan, the situation seems to be the opposite. If the Niners were to part ways with the 44-year-old skipper, any team with an opening (and likely some without a current opening) would be falling over themselves to add him to their staff.
For now, it seems Shanahan is safe. Lynch told the media, “We’re 100 percent behind Kyle and what he brings to our organization.” There doesn’t appear to be any heat on Shanahan’s seat at this time.
NFC West Notes: 49ers, Rams, Metcalf, Cards
Trent Williams‘ absence secured him a significant guarantee midway through the life of a six-year contract. The All-Pro 49ers left tackle had shown up to minicamp but staged a training camp holdout that surpassed one month. Williams did not talk to Kyle Shanahan or John Lynch for more than two months, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes (subscription required). This ended with Shanahan calling the disgruntled tackle to express the team’s need for his return, with Russini indicating that the eighth-year HC’s overture took place eight days before San Francisco’s season opener.
The parties ended up agreeing to their rework, which provided Williams with a three-year deal worth $82.66MM ($26.9MM guaranteed at signing), less than 48 hours later. Williams, who remains signed through 2026, is by far the 49ers’ best O-lineman and is gunning for a tackle-record 12th Pro Bowl nod.
Here is the latest from the NFC West:
- Brock Purdy will already be without McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel against the Rams, but the third-year 49ers QB also may not be able to target George Kittle in a game featuring concerning injury trouble for both California teams. Hamstring tightness led Kittle to a DNP on Thursday, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. The All-Pro tight end practiced Wednesday but appears to have come out of the workout worse for wear. Kittle, 31 next month, has dealt with a number of injuries in his career but has managed to avoid extensive absences since missing much of the 2020 season. Eric Saubert would likely step in as San Francisco’s starter if Kittle joins CMC and Samuel in being unable to go.
- The 49ers also recently worked out slot cornerbacks Tre Herndon and Chandon Sullivan, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. A longtime Jaguars slot player, Herndon caught on with the Giants in June but did not make their 53-man roster. Sullivan, who has played for the Packers, Vikings and Steelers in a six-year career, has been a free agent since March.
- A tweaked hamstring led Darious Williams to the Rams‘ IR list just before the season. Williams preceded a host of Rams regulars — including Puka Nacua, Jonah Jackson, Steve Avila and John Johnson — in heading to IR before Week 3. Williams had been battling hamstring trouble this summer and will be eligible to return in Week 5, with ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop noting the Rams are not yet concerned the recently reacquired cornerback will need to miss more time. Hamstrings, of course, can cause uncertain timetables. For Williams, this is his first IR trip since 2021. It is not a good start to his age-31 season, as the former Super Bowl starter is attached to a contract that becomes a pay-as-you-go accord beyond 2024. Williams will be due $8MM if on the Rams’ roster by Day 5 of the 2025 league year.
- The Seahawks recently created some cap space by restructuring D.K. Metcalf‘s three-year deal. Seattle converted $11.88MM of Metcalf’s 2024 base salary into a signing bonus, freeing up $9.5MM in cap room, OverTheCap.com’s Jason Fizgerald notes. The team saw its cap-space figure balloon from around $4MM to $13MM-plus via this conversion, creating breathing room and inflating Metcalf’s 2025 cap number (now $31.88MM). Seattle added three void years to Metcalf’s deal as well; as a result, the team would take on $7.13MM in dead money if Metcalf is not re-signed before the 2026 league year begins.
- The Cardinals and Patriots each posted 4-13 records last season, but New England’s tiebreaker both provided access to the No. 3 overall pick (Drake Maye) and a better waiver position. The Pats took advantage recently, claiming recent UDFA tackle Demontrey Jacobs off waivers from the Broncos. Arizona had also submitted a claim for Jacobs, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss offers, only to lose out by one priority spot.
NFC West Rumors: McCaffrey, Smith, Lynch
In a recent deep dive on the value of NFL running backs by Dan Pompei of The Athletic, it was revealed that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan reportedly liked running back Christian McCaffrey so much coming out of Stanford in 2017 that the team heavily considered taking him at No. 3 overall all in that year’s draft. That would’ve made McCaffrey the highest-drafted running back since Trent Richardson was selected third overall by the Browns in 2012.
Instead, of course, McCaffrey was selected five picks later by the Panthers. McCaffrey would immediately display his skill and versatility upon arrival in the NFL, being named a first-team All-Pro after leading the league in scrimmage yards (2,392) and touchdowns (19) in 2019. The following two years would be hampered with injury, limiting him to only 10 contests over that time, but it wouldn’t deter Shanahan from trading four draft picks for him in 2022, finally attaining the running back he so admired.
The 49ers, of course, selected McCaffrey’s college teammate, defensive end Solomon Thomas at No. 3 in 2017. Thomas failed to reach the heights of his draft stock, leading to his fifth-year option being declined. Unfortunately for Thomas, he would suffer a torn ACL two games into his contract year. Since leaving San Francisco in free agency, he has spent time with the Raiders and, his current team, the Jets.
Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC West:
- Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith in playing this season on a shiny new contract that, at the original time of reporting, boasted an amount of $30MM to be earned through incentives. According to ESPN’s Brady Henderson, that doesn’t quite appear to be accurate. The supposed “incentives” have now been revealed to be escalators, which unlike incentives, are tied to non-guaranteed bonuses. For example, an incentive would pay Smith $30MM if he were to reach certain statistical benchmarks. In reality, with the escalator, Smith would need to reach those benchmarks and still be on the team’s roster by the fifth day of the new league year in order to boost his $9.6MM roster bonus to $24.6MM. There are a number of statistical benchmarks that Smith is not on track to reach (4,282 passing yards, 30 passing touchdowns, 69.755 percent completion rate, 100.874 passer rating), but he could still cash in on team benchmarks such as a playoff berth or a 10-win season.
- When 49ers general manager John Lynch was given a multi-year extension alongside Shanahan back in September, the team executive was reportedly given an additional title, as well, to accompany the new contract, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports. In addition to his role as GM, Lynch will now also sport the title of president of football operations.
49ers HC Kyle Shanahan Signed Extension Before Regular Season
When 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan joined general manager John Lynch in signing a new extension, the timing was notable with the team off to a 3-0 start. As the former recently admitted, however, his deal was in place well before that point.
Shanahan said earlier this week that his new contract was in place before the regular season kicked off. That revelation illustrates the confidence the 49ers’ ownership group has in both the 43-year-old and Lynch, who have been in San Francisco since 2017. Shanahan is now set to be in place until at least 2027 after previously being on the books for the next three seasons on his previous pact.
“I feel very grateful,” Shanahan said, via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “Being a coach anywhere for a long time, I know what that means. I’m extremely grateful for that. To have that opportunity, mainly for my family to be somewhere for so long, is very cool.”
Given the team’s success since Shanahan and Lynch took over, their latest round of extensions came as little surprise. A number of notable misses at the QB position have taken place during their tenure – highlighted, of course, by the shortcomings of the Trey Lance gamble – but the 49ers have been among the NFC’s elite in recent years. A trip to the Super Bowl, along with conference title game appearances in each of the past two seasons, have earned the team’s decision-makers a longer leash for the time being.
As Shanahan noted in his remarks, he had yet to remain in one NFL posting for more then four years until his current one (seven and counting). The longtime offensive coordinator helped establish his reputation as one of the league’s top minds on that side of the ball during his time with the Falcons in particular (which included a Super Bowl appearance), and his success as a play-caller has continued with the 49ers. When reflecting on his accomplishments in the Bay Area to date, Shanahan noted ownership’s patience in allowing he and Lynch to build the roster into what it has become.
“The commitment [Jed York] gave us and what he said: I really feel like that made us make the right decision those first couple years,” Shanahan added. “Helped build it the right way. That’s really what got us to come here. It allowed us to be patient, do it right and he hasn’t changed ever since.”
Shanahan and the 49ers will look to improve to 4-0 on Sunday, a feat which would make them one of only two teams to sport a perfect record through the first month of the campaign. Continued success this season and beyond would help prove the 49ers’ commitment on the sidelines to be a wise one.