The San Francisco 49ers offensive coaching is getting some clarity, while also leaving some questions. Atlanta Falcons offensive assistants Mike McDaniel and Mike LaFleur have been reported to be joining Kyle Shanahan’s coaching staff. Their specific roles have remained slightly unclear.
On Thursday, Sporting News NFL columnist Alex Marvez reported that LaFleur will join the 49ers as wide receivers coach. I had thought McDaniel was going to get the WRs coach position, but that appears to not be the case.
Ian Rapoport tweeted on Wednesday that Shanahan would be his own OC, and then mentioned he would have Rich Scangarello as quarterbacks coach and McDaniel as “run-game guru.” McDaniel has primarily worked with wide receivers in his career. He was wide receivers coach in Washington and Cleveland, and the Falcons website said he assisted the team’s wide receivers coach.
That leaves me a little confused about what McDaniel’s role will be once this all shakes out. Given his work with Shanahan in Atlanta and the fact that the 49ers head coach will serve as his own OC, maybe McDaniel ends up as a sort of quasi-OC. Coaches can move from position to position, so none of this would shocking change, but we’ll keep an eye out for more clarity.