It’s not going to happen. But in the hypothetical world of the 49ers firing Kyle Shanahan this season, these four replacements make some sense.
Please, repeat after me: “The San Francisco 49ers aren’t going to fire head coach Kyle Shanahan.”
Now, say it again. And again. Do this a few times before you scroll onward to the comments section and say, “this will never happen.”
CEO Jed York would be silly to pull the trigger. Especially after all the strife following his “mutual” dismissal of former head coach Jim Harbaugh following 2014 and the back-to-back embarrassment years in 2015 and 2016 between coaches Jim Tomsula and Chip Kelly, respectively.
If York wants that reputation of a quick-trigger executive when it comes to his coaching staff again, fine, pull the plug on Shanahan.
That said, yes, Shanahan deserves a good deal of criticism for how the 2021 season has panned out. There’s a quarterback controversy between Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance that hasn’t been handled well, Shanahan has made some questionable draft and roster decisions, and San Francisco’s 2-3 start to the year amid a disjointed offense has been frustrating to watch.
So, it’s understandable why a vocal minority of the fanbase is calling for Shanahan to be dismissed. And the chorus could easily grow louder over the remainder of the year depending on how things transpire from this point onward.
Again, it’s not going to happen. But, given the inevitable fatality of uphill struggles and pointless arguments, which replacement head-coaching candidates would the 49ers aggressively pursue in 2022 if Shanahan got the ax?
Here are four possible names.
49ers Replacement No. 4: Packers Offensive Coordinator Nathaniel Hackett
He might not be receiving as much buzz as some of the other hot names on the 2022 head-coaching carousel list, but Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett certainly should receive some attention.
Yes, there are going to be those who cite head coach Matt LaFleur being the prime reason why the Packers’ system has been effective the past few years, and having a quarterback like future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers sure helps matters, too.
Still, Hackett has found success in nearly every one of his stops along the way before becoming Green Bay’s offensive coordinator in 2019, as Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr pointed out:
"At Syracuse, he turned a downtrodden program’s offense into one of the nation’s leaders and established quarterback Ryan Nassib as a draft prospect. In Buffalo he helped turn a sub-.500 team into a 9–7 outfit with a respectable offense, despite its lack of firepower. In Jacksonville, he designed an offense for Blake Bortles that finished fifth in points per game and sixth in yards."
What makes this likable is the Packers operate a similar outside-zone system as the Niners, meaning there wouldn’t have to be widespread, sweeping changes to the personnel or scheme.
If anything, Hackett would inherit a system he’d largely be familiar with, the only expectation is managing both the roster and personnel around him in a more functional way.
49ers Replacement No. 3: Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy
Many felt Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy would be a head coach this season. But for whatever the reasons, he’s still at the helm of the offense in Kansas City underneath head coach Andy Reid.
That won’t last long, though.
True, just like Nathaniel Hackett, Bieniemy has the luxury of working with one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL today, and having quarterback Patrick Mahomes in tow certainly makes life a lot easier.
Bieniemy, just like Kyle Shanahan, operates a hybrid of the West Coast offense, and there wouldn’t need to be major changes to how San Francisco would operate. If anything, there would likely be a greater emphasis on the passing game, which would help magnify the results from many of the lofty investments the 49ers have made in this regard in recent years of the NFL Draft.
Simply put, getting an offensive mind like Bieniemy should help further develop someone like Trey Lance while properly featuring the pass-catching weapons around him like tight end George Kittle and wide receivers such as Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.
Bieniemy might be highly sought after this offseason, though, especially if the Chiefs are able to right their own early season woes.
49ers Replacement No. 2: Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Byron Leftwich
Again, it’s easy to tout the achievements of potential head-coaching candidates who have elite-level quarterbacks playing underneath them. And there’s no greater example than Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, who worked in tandem with another future Hall of Famer in Tom Brady.
While Brady gets and deserves a ton of the credit for the Bucs’ 2020 Super Bowl run and championship, it’s important to note Leftwich was a massive part of that campaign, too.
Especially when it came to meshing his scheme with Brady’s talents and the supporting cast of weaponry at Brady’s disposal.
Much like how the Niners are getting some mutual respect with their current defensive coordinator, DeMeco Ryans, a former NFL linebacker, there’d be the added bonus of Leftwich’s own on-field success as a former pro quarterback, which could easily help in Trey Lance’s own development at the next crucial stages of his career.
Perhaps, even to a bigger point, Leftwich might be able to bring along a few tips and tricks learned from Brady, which should only be seen as a bonus.
49ers Replacement No. 1: Bills Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll
Just like Eric Bienemy, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll is going to get plenty of head-coaching interviews in 2022. He’ll be highly sought after, and if San Francisco unfathomably elects to move on from Kyle Shanahan, it wouldn’t be a shocker to see Daboll as target No. 1.
If anything, Daboll’s offensive ingenuity should be right in line with the same perception the league had of Shanahan back in 2017.
Read More: Trey Lance injury shows how much 49ers need to change
The Bills have already emerged as an offensive powerhouse, aided by the fact quarterback Josh Allen is emerging as another MVP candidate yet again after a breakout campaign last season. Connecting Allen to the 49ers isn’t hard to do, either, considering many are hoping for a similar growth trajectory with Trey Lance, another small-school prospect with plenty of tools but a raw background.
Daboll potentially getting the chance to work with another protege like Lance should make this potential union an enticing one: an up-and-coming quarterback with weapons around him and an offensive mastermind capable of creating mismatches almost anywhere on the field.
Again, the Niners aren’t going to be moving on from Shanahan anytime soon, and Daboll is going to be a red-hot name on the market anyway with his choice of numerous suitors.
But if you’re adamant San Francisco dismisses Shanahan this season, Daboll should probably be atop your list of wants.