The San Francisco 49ers coaching staff remains a work in progress, even as Chip Kelly prepares to meet Bay Area media for the first time. The latest name on the short list of candidates for a job is now former Miami Dolphins running backs coach Jeff Nixon. Matt Maiocco reported that while Tom Rathman is expected to return as running backs coach, Kelly wants to figure out a way to include Nixon on his staff.
Nixon spent the past five seasons with the Miami Dolphins, coaching running backs. He spent the four seasons prior to that coaching running backs and special teams with the Philadelphia Eagles. That was before Kelly's tenure in Philadelphia. There is no word on the connection between Kelly and Nixon. It is always interesting to figure out how exactly a potential assistant ended up on the coach's radar when they don't seem to have a previous connection.
Here is a rundown of Nixon's resume. He was a running back college, starting at West Virginia, and then transferring to Penn State. He started his coaching career at Penn State.
2011-2015: Miami Dolphins - Running Backs
2007-2010: Philadelphia Eagles - Special Teams/Running Backs
2006: Temple - Running Backs
2003-2005: Tennessee-Chattanooga - Running Backs, Tight Ends, Special Teams, Recruiting
1999-2002: Shippensburg - Running Backs
1998: Princeton - Running Backs
1997: Penn State - Student Assistant Coach