Kyle Shanahan has spent years watching his assistants get scooped up for bigger jobs, and Klay Kubiak looks like the next name in line.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox recently put together a list of head-coaching candidates who could be in the mix in 2027, and the 49ers’ offensive coordinator made the cut. Kubiak, who has climbed quickly inside Shanahan’s staff, is already being framed as one of the league’s next up-and-comers.
His path in San Francisco has moved fast. Kubiak began with the 49ers in 2021 as a defensive quality control coach, then kept rising until Shanahan promoted him to offensive coordinator in 2025. He’s set to hold that role this season as well.
Knox’s reporting suggests the 49ers already tried to keep him from slipping away. After helping San Francisco put together a top-10 offense - even while starting half the season with backup quarterback Mac Jones - Kubiak drew interest from multiple openings. He ultimately pulled his name out to remain with the 49ers, and Shanahan also blocked him from taking a lateral move.
That kind of traction usually leads to more opportunities, and Knox believes 2027 could bring plenty more interviews if the 49ers’ offense stays near the top again. With the addition of wide receiver Mike Evans, San Francisco has a real chance to be an upper-echelon unit once more, which would only make Kubiak a hotter coaching candidate.
There’s also the family angle. Knox pointed out Kubiak’s bloodlines, noting that he’s the son of longtime head coach Gary Kubiak. His brother, Klint Kubiak, also just rode the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl win last February into the Las Vegas Raiders’ head-coaching job.
That sort of coaching pedigree is hard to ignore, especially with two brothers now moving through the league. It’s a reminder of how much Shanahan’s own background - and his father Mike Shanahan’s - continues to shape the league’s coaching pipeline.
Of course, not every Shanahan assistant has turned into a success story after leaving. Mike McDaniel’s run with the Miami Dolphins and Robert Saleh’s previous stint with the New York Jets both fell short. But there have been success stories too, including Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans.
So if Kubiak keeps rising, he could be the next branch to break off the Shanahan coaching tree. And if Knox is right, that next step may not be far off.
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One Under-the-Radar 49ers Addition Could Finally Settle Left Guard
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For a team trying to make Brock Purdys life easier and keep the offense balanced around its established playmakers, that kind of stability matters as much as flashier additions on either side of the ball. Jones, in particular, has drawn attention as a low-profile pickup with the kind of experience and efficiency that can quietly settle a spot the 49ers have not fully locked down yet, even if the final call is still unresolved. [Read more 🡒]