AP source: 49ers hire Brian Griese as QBs coach

Updated Mar. 4, 2022 9:27 p.m. ET

Associated Press

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers are hiring ESPN analyst Brian Griese as their new quarterbacks coach.

A person familiar with the move said Friday that Griese will leave the “Monday Night Football” booth to join coach Kyle Shanahan's staff. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team hadn't announced the hiring.

ESPN first reported the move.

Griese has never held a coaching job but did play 11 seasons in the NFL, including two in Tampa Bay when Shanahan was an assistant there in 2004-05. Griese was drafted by Denver by Shanahan's father, Mike, and spent his first five seasons with the Broncos.

Griese spent more than a decade after his playing career as a college analyst at ESPN before joining the “Monday Night Football” booth in 2020. Griese was expected to be replaced in that role by Troy Aikman. The New York Post reported last week that Aikman will sign a five-year deal with ESPN to become the lead NFL analyst.

Griese replaces Rich Scangarello, who left the Niners last week to take the offensive coordinator job at Kentucky.

Griese will be counted on to work closely with Trey Lance, who was drafted third overall by San Francisco in 2021. Lance started only two games as a rookie, but is expected to fill that role this season with starter Jimmy Garoppolo likely to be traded.

The 49ers have lost several assistants this offseason with offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel getting hired as head coach in Miami and taking receivers coach Wes Welker and tight ends coach Jon Embree with him.

Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower was hired for the same job in Chicago and running backs coach Bobby Turner is planning to take the year off to deal with medical issues.

The Niners haven't announced any of their new staff hirings, but are bringing former Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn on as an offensive assistant among other moves.

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