Tony Sparano could be on 49ers coaching staff radar as TEs coach

The San Francisco 49ers coaching staff search continues, and they appear to have someone on their radar for tight ends coach. Matt Barrows is reporting the 49ers are interested in hiring Tony Sparano as a potential tight ends coach. Sparano spent much of the last season as interim head coach of the Oakland Raiders. He joined the Raiders in 2013 as their assistant head coach and offensive line coach. He took over as head coach when Dennis Allen was fired.

Sparano has been primarily an offensive line coach, but he actually has a few years experience coaching tight ends. He coached tight ends in Washington in 2001, Jacksonville in 2002, and Dallas in 2003 and 2004. He has had two stints as an assistant head coach, first with Dallas in 2007, and then the last two years in Oakland.

Jim Tomsula has one year of head coaching experience in NFL Europe, and has been around enough to know how players work. However, having someone like Sparano as a potential sounding board is not the worst idea in the world. This is not necessarily about having someone for all the nitty gritty answers, but potentially bigger picture stuff.

Head coach: Jim Tomsula (news)
Offensive coordinator: Rob Chudzinski (news), Mike Shanahan (rumor), Lane Kiffin (rumor)
Defensive coordinator: Jason Tarver (TBD), Eric Mangini (news)
Special teams coordinator: Thomas McGaughey (news)
Quarterbacks coach: Geep Chryst (TBD)
Running backs coach: Tom Rathman (news)
Offensive line coach: Chris Foerster (news)
Assistant OL coach: Eric Wolford (news)
Wide receivers coach: Ronald Curry (TBD)
Tight ends coach: Tony Sparano
Offensive assistant: Mick Lombardi (TBD)