Former Lions offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn lands job with the 49ers

After lasting just one season as Lions offensive coordinator, Anthony Lynn has landed another coaching job.

Even though things didn’t go well for him as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, it was a foregone conclusion Anthony Lynn would land another coaching job right away if he wanted one. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Lynn has been hired by the San Francisco 49ers as assistant head coach. He reportedly had multiple offers from college and the NFL, and chose the 49ers.

After four seasons as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, Lynn was hired by Lions head coach Dan Campbell to be Detroit’s offensive coordinator in 2021. The Lions’ offense really struggled in the first half of the season, leading to Campbell taking over play calling duties after the Week 9 bye and Lynn becoming essentially the run game coordinator.

It was a foregone conclusion Lynn would be one-and-done as Lions’ offensive coordinator when he lost play calling duties, and it indeed happened right after the season.

Anthony Lynn should be a good fit with the 49ers

In his report of the news, Schefter pointed to Lynn becoming a key cog in the 49ers’ offense and run game. The ground game is the driving force of San Francisco’s offense, and most of Lynn’s history as an assistant coach is as a running backs coach for several teams. He became offensive coordinator and eventually interim head coach for the Buffalo Bills as the 2016 season went on, before landing the Chargers’ head coaching job.

As Niners Nation noted, Lynn has history and a friendship with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. Shanahan was a Denver Broncos ball boy when his father Mike was the head coach there, and Lynn was a running back on the team.

49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel had his second interview for the Miami Dolphins head coaching job on Friday, as he appears to be one of two finalists. If he gets that job, Lynn would be in line as a candidate to take his place. But with the title of offensive coordinator in San Francisco, Lynn would not be calling plays–Shanahan does that.