49ers news: 4 assistant coaches who may be hired away in 2023

No. 1: Running backs coach/assistant head coach Anthony Lynn

The Niners’ hiring of former running back, turned coordinator and turned head coach Anthony Lynn this offseason was the direct move to help replace Kyle Shanahan’s long-time running backs coach Bobby Turner, who elected to step away from football in 2022.

Again, the NFL is trending towards younger, more energetic head coaches, so one might think this would work against the 53-year-old Lynn.

Additionally, Lynn’s head-coaching experience only netted two better-than .500 results, both with the Los Angeles Chargers and in 2017 and 2018, but the first year was only 9-7 before going 12-4 the following season, his best record.

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However, all that said and despite anything that might deter teams from looking at him, Lynn’s offenses as both a coordinator and head coach have finished in the top 10 of scoring in three of his six years in either role, and he barely missed the mark when his 2018 Chargers finished 11th.

Even a putrid Detroit Lions squad in 2021 ranked 22nd in scoring with Lynn serving as offensive coordinator there.

A team in need of some veteran guidance might opt to look closer at Lynn than an untried rookie head coach in 2023, potentially plucking away the tremendously experienced player and coach who has certainly had success across the league despite not finding a “forever” home.

Perhaps that changes next offseason.