Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh remains the hottest name among San Francisco 49ers assistants in consideration for the various head-coaching vacancies across the NFL right now.
Understandably. After all, despite his previous flameout with the New York Jets, Saleh has again shown how he can get the most out of an injury-riddled and shorthanded Niners defense. Teams looking for that kind of impact won't shy away from requesting an interview with head coach Kyle Shanahan's top defensive mind.
Yet there's another Shanahan protege who might soon be in the mix for a head-coaching gig.
It likely won't happen this coaching cycle. But, as ESPN's Jeremy Fowler broke down in a recent piece about future coaching cycles, there's a member of Shanahan's offensive staff who could be gaining consideration.
ESPN tabs 49ers OC Klay Kubiak as a head-coaching name to watch
Fowler named San Francisco's current offensive coordinator, Klay Kubiak, as someone to watch not this offseason but next.
Here's what the ESPN insider had to say about the possibility:
"From the one-year-from-now file, offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak is poised to be a hot head coaching candidate in the 2026-27 cycle. Kyle Shanahan is very high on him and he has the right temperament for the job. He's considered someone from this tree who could make some noise next carousel."
Kubiak was promoted into the coordinator role last offseason, and at times, Shanahan has even allowed his assistant to call plays during gameday.
Usually, however, Shanahan has reserved play-calling duties for himself. Yet that doesn't mean Kubiak's role is any less important. If anything, the coordinator is still responsible for primary game-planning duties and installing plays during practices -- all vital parts of preparation.
It wouldn't be unlike what the 49ers experienced with now-Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who held a similar understudy role to Shanahan as coordinator in 2021 before accepting the South Beach gig in 2022 despite not being the primary offensive play caller for the Niners.
Kubiak could easily be the next one to follow suit in what's become a lengthy list of coaches from the Shanahan tree accepting more prominent roles elsewhere.