Klay Kubiak removes himself from head-coaching jobs consideration, staying with 49ers: Sources – The Athletic
San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak has removed himself from consideration for head-coaching vacancies across the NFL, league sources said Saturday, and opted to stay with the Niners.
Kubiak has been with San Francisco since 2021 and risen through the ranks of head coach Kyle Shanahan’s staff. He was the 49ers’ assistant quarterbacks coach when they drafted Brock Purdy in 2022, moved to passing game specialist in 2024 and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2025.
Shanahan first gave Kubiak play-calling duties in the 2024 regular-season finale — it was a meaningless game, though the 49ers rolled up 436 yards of offense — and did so again during the 2025 preseason. After the Niners’ wild-card playoff win, Shanahan noted that Kubiak, who coaches from the booth, suggested the “Skyy Bang Reverse Pass” trick play — Jauan Jennings’ touchdown throw to Christian McCaffrey — that turned the tide against Philadelphia.
“I just saw it on the call sheet, and I was like, ‘This might be good,’” Kubiak said. “I suggested it, but that’s kind of how it goes the whole game, kind of suggest things, and some get called, some don’t, some work, some don’t.”
Around the NFL coaching carousel, there was speculation that teams eyed Kubiak as an offensive coordinator who would complement a defensive-minded head coach. The Seattle Seahawks used that approach with Kubiak’s older brother, Klint, and had great success this season. Shanahan, however, made it clear he wouldn’t allow Klay Kubiak to make a lateral move, even if it came with greater responsibilities.
“He calls a lot of plays here,” Shanahan said recently. “He’s our offensive coordinator, so I don’t know, why would you let him be somebody else’s offensive coordinator?”
There have been 10 NFL head-coaching vacancies this offseason, with the Buffalo Bills, Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals still searching for new coaches. The Steelers are closing in on a deal to make Mike McCarthy their next head coach, The Athletic reported, crossing Pittsburgh off the search list.
Kubiak completed a virtual interview with the Steelers before removing himself from consideration for the job.
