49ers request permission to interview Kyle Shanahan for head coaching vacancy

The San Francisco 49ers have added another name to the interview list, as Eric Branch is reporting the team requested permission to interview Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. The 49ers were linked to Shanahan at the beginning of the week, and this is the first sign they are moving forward with him as an option.

The 49ers are also linked to Kyle's father, Mike, and it is easy to wonder what to make of a Kyle interview. He is getting some looks around the league, but one possibility is that if the 49ers decided that Mike was the guy they wanted as their head coach, he could bring Kyle along as his offensive coordinator. Kyle worked as his father's offensive coordinator in Washington from 2010-2013. Prior to that, he was offensive coordinator for Houston in 2008 and 2009, following stints as their QB coach in 2007, and their WR coach in 2006.

Kyle Shanahan certainly has the benefit of his dad's mentorship, but Kyle has only worked as a coach in 2003. Age is not an issue if someone knows what they're doing, but I think it is easy to be skeptical of someone benefiting from nepotism. That is not entirely fair to Kyle Shanahan, but given what we've seen of the NFL, it's easy to be skeptical about how much of a meritocracy it really is. I don't expect Kyle Shanahan to end up as the 49ers head coach, but who knows how this whole process will shake out.