Commanders talk to 49ers' Lynn for offensive coordinator job

Updated Feb. 1, 2023 1:39 p.m. ET

Associated Press

The Washington Commanders are interviewing Anthony Lynn for their offensive coordinator vacancy.

The team confirmed the interview Wednesday. Lynn, the San Francisco 49ers assistant head coach/running backs coach, is the sixth candidate the Commanders have spoken to about the job.

Coach Ron Rivera interviewed Lynn in person in California days after the 49ers flew home following their loss at Philadelphia in the NFC championship game. Rivera was criticized on social media Tuesday by Washington radio broadcasters for golfing at Pebble Beach before hiring an offensive coordinator.

That process has been ongoing since Rivera fired Scott Turner on Jan. 10, less than 48 hours after the Commanders missed the playoffs with the NFL's 20th ranked offense. Turner's at times curious play-calling and underwhelming results with multiple quarterbacks contributed to derailing their postseason hopes.

Lynn, 54, offers a deep resume after coaching the Los Angeles Chargers from 2017-20 and serving as offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions in 2021 before joining San Francisco. The 49ers have already lost defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, who was hired by the Houston Texans as their next coach.

Before Lynn, the Commanders interviewed former Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, current Washington quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese, Atlanta Falcons QB coach Charles London, Miami Dolphins associate head coach/RBs coach Eric Studesville and Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach/tight ends coach Thomas Brown.

Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew in their season-ending news conference said they preferred a run-first style of offense.

“I think it's a philosophical belief,” Rivera said hours before firing Turner. "If you look at a lot of the teams that do end up at the end where they are, most of them rush for well over 1,000 (yards). They control the tempo of the game, and I think that’s what we need to do to win football games.”

Whoever gets the job could also inherit QB Sam Howell going into his second pro season. Howell made his NFL debut in the season finale, throwing and rushing for a touchdown in beating the playoff-bound Dallas Cowboys.

“He was impressive,” Mayhew said. "He got off to a really good start, and it’s going to be a lot of evaluation process for him, as well. We’ll see where it all shakes out.”

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