The San Francisco 49ers are feeling the impact of a coaching shakeup as their former tight ends coach and run-game coordinator, Brian Fleury, has been snapped up by the Seattle Seahawks to serve as their new offensive coordinator. This move comes after Seattle's previous coordinator, Klint Kubiak, departed to take the head coaching role with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Interestingly, both Fleury and Kubiak shared time on the 49ers' staff back in 2023. It's quite possible that Kubiak might have given Seattle's head coach, Mike Macdonald, a nod towards Fleury as a worthy successor.
However, this hiring decision isn't without its risks for the Seahawks. Fleury is stepping into the role without previous experience in calling offensive plays. Last season, while he handled run-game coordinator duties for the 49ers, the team's ground game didn’t exactly set the league on fire, despite the standout performance of running back Christian McCaffrey.
This situation draws a parallel to the Philadelphia Eagles’ decision to replace their offensive coordinator Kellen Moore with Kevin Patullo after their Super Bowl win, a move that didn't pan out well for them in 2025.
Seattle isn’t in a rebuilding phase; they have a formidable defense and aspirations of repeating their success. This puts Fleury under significant pressure to deliver results immediately. It's a high-stakes gamble, especially given the allure the position might have had for other, more experienced coordinators.
Ultimately, the Seahawks are taking a considerable risk with Fleury, and the 49ers, watching from the sidelines, likely won’t be too upset if things don't go according to plan for their division rivals.