Kyle Shanahan and his Atlanta Falcons spanked the Green Bay Packers 44-21 Sunday in the NFC Championship game, meaning NFL rules will prevent the 49ers from hiring their widely presumptive head coach choice until after the Super Bowl on Feb. 5.
Adam Schefter reported the 49ers will hold a meeting with Shanahan on Friday, and GM candidates are also likely to be in attendance too. The two lead personnel men in the running to join Shanahan are Minnesota’s George Paton and Arizona’s Terry McDonough. Atlanta’s Nick Polk has also been a name floated by PFT’s Mike Florio.
The NFL Network’s Mike Silver reported Jed York does not view personnel control as a “major issue” in hiring a GM and that the two will work as partners. As the only coaching candidate left standing, Shanahan carries a significant amount of leverage into Friday’s meeting.
The debate in the Bay Area this weekend: Should 49ers have wanted Shanahan to lose in order to get the show on the road? Or was winning this game and advancing to the Super Bowl for the first time in his coaching career worthwhile experience for the next man who will lead the 49ers. My column from Friday detailed all the successful head coaches who won a Super Bowl first as an assistant. The argument is that coaching on the big stage gives you credibility as a leader and much needed experience in big games.
This 49ers hiring process has been long, speculative, repetitive and at times, annoying. Candidates have withdrawn and have been eliminated. Question his plan all you want, but York is trying to get this hire right.
Timing is completely out of his hands here, although a new GM could be announced next weekend if Shanahan gives his approval. And in the grand scheme of things, timing might ultimately help the 49ers in the long run.
In the three weeks since the 49ers last played a game, no assistant coach’s stock has grown as much as Shanahan’s. With an arsenal of weaponry, he put up 36 points against Seattle and now 44 against Green Bay. The 49ers did not score 30 points or more in any game during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. It was imperative for this team to hire a seasoned, bright, offensive-minded coach with untapped leadership potential. This is Shanahan.
No, Shanahan doesn’t have a roster ready to go. But he brings a playbook and a scoring philosophy to a football team who badly needs an identity.
Stay patient. York is making the right hire at head coach.