49ers Brian Fleury - likely OC pick

[D-train]

My biggest concern is that he quits football to be a villain on Game of Thrones....

[Donn Beach]

Raiders poach Rick Dennison, I think that hurts. Dennison has some impressive credentials. A coach is really no more than his staff. I've brought it up before. You look at what happened with Pete and the nepotism. Is it insecurity? You begin to shy away from hiring really bright staff. And what I've read about Kubiak. His lack of ego, he's always deflecting credit to others. He's very low key. And it looks like he's putting together a nice staff.
Kinda interesting, kubiak miked up, kubiak coaching as opposed to being interviewed. Like I've said, I wouldn't make much of interviews terms of judging guys, it's the field that counts

https://x.com/houserules789/status/2017 ... leadership

[Captain 97]

Looks like the Hawks have hired NIU's head coach to be the running backs coach. He was the Running backs coach in Baltimore before he got the NIU gig. Mixed results as a head coach. Had an upset against Notre Dame a couple years ago but finished 3-9 this past season.

https://www.si.com/nfl/seahawks/onsi/se ... as-hammock

[Michael K.]

Looks like the Hawks have hired NIU's head coach to be the running backs coach. He was the Running backs coach in Baltimore before he got the NIU gig. Mixed results as a head coach. Had an upset against Notre Dame a couple years ago but finished 3-9 this past season.

https://www.si.com/nfl/seahawks/onsi/se ... as-hammock

The college game is a dumpster fire. HCs in college are leaving to take assistant jobs in the NFL, and no one can blame them. I wouldn't read much into his head coaching success at NIU. Basically? He was out gunned and undermanned and was always going to be, and that's why he's out.

I don't see this trend ending anytime soon. The college game is dead.

A growing trend in college football has seen established head coaches and top assistants depart for roles in the NFL, driven by the intense demands of the modern college game, including NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) management and the transfer portal. This phenomenon has seen head coaches, particularly at mid-major programs, opt for higher-paying, lower-stress NFL positions.

Recent Examples of Head Coaches Moving to NFL Assistant Roles

Thomas Hammock (Northern Illinois): In February 2026, after seven seasons as NIU's head coach (35-47 record), Hammock resigned to become the Seattle Seahawks' running backs coach and senior offensive assistant. Hammock, who previously coached in the NFL with the Ravens, left amid the chaotic landscape of the transfer portal.

Jeff Hafley (Boston College): In 2024, Hafley left his position as head coach of the Eagles to become the defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, citing a desire to return to pure coaching rather than managing roster construction and NIL.

Chip Kelly (UCLA): While not a direct jump to a position coach, Kelly famously sought an NFL assistant role before taking the offensive coordinator position at Ohio State, later moving to the Las Vegas Raiders as an offensive coordinator, and eventually becoming the offensive coordinator at Northwestern.

Key Factors Driving the Move

Transfer Portal and NIL Fatigue: Head coaches have expressed burnout from spending more time on roster retention and NIL funding than actual player development.

Financial Compensation: NFL position coach salaries can be competitive with or exceed those of mid-major head coaches, with reports indicating Hammock was set to become one of the highest-paid running backs coaches in the NFL.

Desire for Focus: The NFL allows coaches to focus on game planning, teaching, and strategy, rather than fundraising and recruiting.

Career Flexibility: Some coaches see moving to the NFL as a way to "recharge" or build a different kind of resume, as seen with coaches returning to previous NFL contacts, such as Hammock reuniting with former Ravens colleague Mike Macdonald.

Other Examples of College-to-NFL Moves (2026)
Iowa (Omar Young): Left his role with the Hawkeyes in Feb 2026 to join the Las Vegas Raiders' staff.
Wisconsin (Jordan Reid): Left his position as wide receivers coach to become the assistant quarterbacks coach for the Atlanta Falcons.

This trend indicates that the volatility of the college football landscape is making the structure and focus of NFL assistant roles more appealing, even to those running their own programs.

Seems like a no brainer. Be a Head Coach of a bunch of spoiled brats that will most likely leave in a year or two and also make more money than you? Or take an NFL Assistant position?

[Donn Beach]

From 2023, 49ers blogger speculating on shanahan making Fleury his OC back then. I think it might have been this same blogger that dismissed the seahawks hiring him now, saying Fluery will be back coaching for the 49ers after a year. I think I'm grasping the hiring a little better. Fleury isn't the young hotshot as much as a guy that's been around all aspects of coaching football for years.

Don’t be fooled by Fleury’s coaching tag. Last season was the first time he had coached tight ends. Shanahan’s staff has always featured diverse coaches, and Fleury tops the list.

The former college quarterback has coached defensive backs, linebackers, been a quality control coach on both sides of the ball, and a research analyst.

Fleury told the media during minicamp and OTAs last year that he grew up in staff meetings and around the game, much like Kyle Shanahan. A versatile background should only give Shanahan and the 49er players more confidence in Fleury.

Fleury knows you can’t succeed in Shanahan’s offense without knowing what the quarterback is thinking. His experience at the position gives Trey Lance and Brock Purdy more first-hand knowledge to lean on, in addition to Brian Griese.

The 49ers had to change their offense numerous times to adapt to a different quarterback in 2022. If Shanahan feels like Fleury is the most adaptable coach — from communication to ideas — it’d make sense that he’d be the coach to promote to offensive coordinator

[Donn Beach]

Harbaugh on Zach Orr

When John Harbaugh joined us via @WBALRadio, he discussed the similarities he sees between Mike Macdonald and Jesse Minter.

While throwing in "I'll be proven right about Zach Orr, too. You'll see

[douche]

Raiders poach Rick Dennison, I think that hurts. Dennison has some impressive credentials. A coach is really no more than his staff. I've brought it up before. You look at what happened with Pete and the nepotism. Is it insecurity? You begin to shy away from hiring really bright staff. And what I've read about Kubiak. His lack of ego, he's always deflecting credit to others. He's very low key. And it looks like he's putting together a nice staff.

Completely agree.

[Donn Beach]

Heard someone, Condotta? Talking about the Fleury hire. MM was intent on promoting from his own staff up until the Fluery interview, Fluery must have really nailed that interview. The easy route would have been an internal promotion but he didn't go with it. There's something about Fleury that really impressed him. He talks about how well they communicated, they seem to think alike.

Gonna say too about his being a TE coach. It's talked about his being focused on that aspect. He's going to be good at developing TEs ect. I'm thinking it doesn't really matter, that wasn't important. I think the deal is you go after guys with big brains, then find them a spot on your staff. Fluery could have coached anything, he has coached both sides of the ball. That's why MM says not calling plays isn't a big deal. Fleury just generally has a big brain terms of football

[douche]

From seahawks.com:

"He has great command," Macdonald said. "He has great communication skills. There's a clarity in how he sees the game and what he expects. I think our players are going to really appreciate that. We talk about clarity a lot, being decisive. I'm very confident that what we're going to be asking our players to do is going to be very clear to them. And based on his relationships with his players in the past, and we have a great resource here in Eric Saubert about how he treats his players and how he goes about his business every day. It felt like he was one of us. So I'm really excited for him to lead our offense."

And Fleury's value align with the vision and groundwork Macdonald has laid in Seattle over the past three seasons.

Macdonald said, "Connectivity, attention to detail, like the chasing edges, type of mentality. He didn't use those words verbatim, but he might as well have. How we want to run off the football, tactically there's a lot of similarities as well, how we do business and it felt like he'd be a great partner to work with."

In Macdonald we trust.

[Donn Beach]

Macdonald said, "Connectivity, attention to detail, like the chasing edges, type of mentality. He didn't use those words verbatim, but he might as well have

Fluery is scouting edge rushers?