Packers hire Titans OC Matt LaFleur as head coach

Pat’s Update: looks like Mike may not be interested

The first head coaching vacancy has closed now that the Green Bay Packers have hired Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur. This hire produces two pieces of news: first, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels did not interview, which means he’ll stay in New England (yet again).

The second, and more important for fans of the San Francisco 49ers, is that Lafleur is the older brother of 49ers wide receivers/passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur. The family connection isn’t the only tie to the 49ers. Matt LaFleur served on Mike Shanahan’s staff in Washington when Shanahan’s son Kyle was offensive coordinator. He also was Matt Ryan’s quarterbacks coach when Kyle Shanahan was offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons. To round things out with the west coast, Matt LaFleur was Sean McVay’s offensive coordinator last year with Los Angeles Rams.

So Matt LaFleur has some history with Kyle Shanahan and McVay by extension. Sounds like the Green Bay Packers are wanting to get in on this offense that those two have been working on in California.

So why all this history lesson? Well there’s a lot of 49ers coaches trying to move up in the ranks and what better way to do it than to go to Green Bay where Matt LaFleur will have a possible promotion involved. The first obvious name is Mike LaFleur leaving the 49ers to join his brother, but that’s going to be a tough decision as to what is better for the career. There could be other poachings from the 49ers’ and the Rams’ coaching staffs in the coming days or weeks to fill out Matt LaFleur’s circle. Another name that may pop up is 49ers quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello who has been getting some street cred for the work done with Jimmy Garoppolo and Nick Mullens.

The 49ers have a vacant offensive coordinator position they can fill if they have someone they want keep around. Just saying.

Do you see anyone from the staff leaving?