Brian Griese leaves “Monday Night Football” to become 49ers quarterbacks coach

The former quarterback has been an analyst for ESPN’s “MNF” broadcasts since 2020; it will be his first opportunity as a coach in the NFL

SANTA CLARA — In the end, the San Francisco 49ers they will have a movement involving a key role of their team and the broadcast box of the NFLafter all.

After the general manager John Lynch admitted in the week that he declined the opportunity to return to the broadcast box as an analyst, the Niners decided to hire Brian Gray as their new quarterbacks coach, sources told Seth Wickersham and Adam Schefter of ESPN. Griese had served as an analyst for the “monday night football” from ESPN since 2020.

gray replaces Rich Scangarellowho left the team to become the new offensive coordinator at Kentucky last month, a move that came as a surprise to the Niners.

gray will be taking on a coaching role for the first time. He retired from the NFL as a player in 2008.

However, he does have some familiarity with the head coach of the NinersKyle Shanahan. He played the quarterback position for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004 and 2005, when Shanahan he was the offensive quality control coach for the team. After driving to Michigan to a national title in 1997, gray played 10 seasons of NFL with stops at Denver, Miami, Tampa Bay, Chicago and again with Tampa Bay before retiring.

The arrival of gray occurs at a critical time for 49ers when it comes to quarterbacks. In the off-season, it is expected that San Francisco go ahead without the headline Jimmy Garoppolo and hand over the offensive reins to Trey Lancewhom they selected with the third overall pick of the NFL Draft 2021.

At NFL scouting combine on indianapolis last Wednesday, Lynch admitted that Garoppolowho is scheduled for right shoulder surgery, be part of trade talks.

“A lot of people need or want quarterbacks right now, and obviously this is a guy they would consider,” he said. Lynch. “So yeah, we’ve heard, but she’s a part of us and she’s going to work diligently to come back from this surgery.”

gray is one of what are expected to be many new additions amid a significant turnover in the assistant pool of Shanahan. Eight coaches from the Ninersincluding offensive coordinator Mike McDanielnow head coach of for the Miami Dolphinshave left in search of other opportunities in the offseason.

Anthony Lynnformer head coach of Los Angeles Chargerswas hired in February as an assistant head coach and experienced running backs coach, Bobby Turnertake some time to deal with some health issues.

Lynch said Wednesday that the Niners they were close to filling their assistant coaching vacancies with an announcement to be made in the next few days.