No Kyle Shanahan? No problem for 49ers offense to start NFL preseason

When someone thinks of the San Francisco 49ers offense, the first person to come to mind might not be a player, but a coach instead. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has become synonymous with the Niners offense; it was what got him hired in the first place. There was no reason to expect anything different for this season.

To begin the 2024 season with the first preseason game against the Tennesse Titans, the 49ers broadcast reported that Klay Kubiak, the team's pass coordinator and son of Super Bowl-winning head coach Gary Kubiak, was calling the shots on offense.

It is the first time Shanahan has rescinded play-calling duties in his history as a head coach.

And if anyone thought that there might have been any issues with a new voice, the Niners' first preseason drive was dominant. In clinical San Francisco fashion, running back Jordan Mason ran the ball six times for 34 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers passed the ball when necessary with quarterback Brandon Allen, and they cruised to the end zone for a touchdown.

It was a clinical display from the backups, even when dealing with some penalties to begin with.

Now, in the grand scheme of things, this decision does not mean much. Shanahan is likely giving one of his assistants a chance to gain valuable play-calling experience in a low-stakes setting. This could be a huge boon for Klay Kubiak as he looks to advance his own NFL coaching career.

But, who knows? If the 49ers need another voice to call plays, they have someone on staff who started his career one of one.

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