Written by Michael Silver at NFL.com
The 49ers have offered Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan their vacant head coaching job, and Shanahan is almost certain to accept the position, according to sources familiar with both parties’ intentions. Because of NFL rules, the two sides cannot formally agree to a deal until after theFalcons’ season is over, but barring an unforeseen change of heart on either side, Shanahan will eventually be signed to a multi-year contract.
Shanahan, according to sources, will get to help pick the 49ers’ next general manager, with Green Bay Packers director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst the leading candidate.
The situation played out over the last several days, as 49ers CEO Jed York traveled to Seattle to interview candidates for the team’s coach and GM vacancies. On Sunday, the day after the Falcons defeated the Seahawks in a divisional-round playoff game, York interviewed Seattle offensive line coach Tom Cable for the coaching position.
The next morning, news broke that New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels — considered one of the top remaining candidates, along with Shanahan and Cable — had pulled his name out of contention. As York conducted back-to-back interviews Monday with Trent Kirchner and Scott Fitterer, the Seahawks’ co-directors of player personnel, he felt increased urgency to reach out to Shanahan and convey his intention to offer him the job.
That essentially short-circuited the candidacy of Cable, who after learning early Tuesday of the Niners’ intention to hire Shanahan — and the coach’s apparent willingness to accept the position — prepared to pull his name from contention. However, Cable received a phone call Tuesday afternoon from 49ersowner Denise DeBartolo York, Jed’s mother, who spent an hour interviewing him for the head-coaching position.
By that time, Kirchner had already withdrawn from consideration from the GM position — because he had also learned of the 49ers’ impending deal with Shanahan. Kirchner strongly preferred to work with Cable as his head coach, a view shared by Fitterer and one other prospective general manager candidate initially sought by the 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard. The interview with Ballard never happened because the Chiefs reportedly blocked it; a source says the team gave Ballard a salary increase in response.
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