It now makes sense why Brian Griese passed on a head coaching interview with the Jets.
The 49ers announced Tuesday their coaching staff for the 2025 season and Griese was surprisingly absent from the list, as Mick Lombardi will take over his role as the quarterbacks coach.
San Francisco also officially promoted Klint Kubiak to serve as the team’s offensive coordinator.
Multiple outlets reported that Griese spearheaded this move and decided to leave coaching, rather than the 49ers firing him.
Griese reportedly previously considered leaving the 49ers after his first year with the team in 2022 as his family stayed in Denver while he coached in San Francisco.
After “weighing family considerations,” Griese chose to stay in the role.
“It’s not the easiest thing in the world to be away from them,” Griese told the San Francisco Chronicle in June 2023.
That Griese would lose the appetite to coach lines up with him passing on an interview for the Jets’ opening since most assistants are willing to meet in hope of one day becoming the top coach.
Griese, a former broadcaster for ESPN on “Monday Night Football,” played in the NFL for 11 years and spent the last three years as the 49ers’ quarterbacks coach.
The 49ers likely wanted to hold onto Griese in the 2025 season, as he has been instrumental in the development of quarterback Brock Purdy.
It is unclear if Griese will return to broadcasting, a slightly more flexible gig, now that he has left coaching.
Despite being the very last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, Griese had Purdy rated the No. 1 quarterback on his board.
As one of the main advocates for Purdy, Griese’s departure is a bit surprising as the former Iowa State quarterback is slated to be a free agent after this season.
The 2022 NFL Draft is known as one of the worst quarterback draft classes of all time, as only Kenny Pickett was drafted in the first round (No. 22) and he quickly flamed out with the Steelers and is now the backup for the Eagles.
Purdy is the only quarterback in this draft who is still getting starter reps, perhaps thanks to Griese’s tutelage.
The Broncos originally drafted Griese in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft and he also played for the Buccaneers, Bears and Dolphins before hanging up the cleats after the 2008 season.
Griese and his father, Bob, are the only father-son duo in NFL history to both win a Super Bowl.
Bob played for the Don Shula-led Miami Dolphins from 1967-80, winning Lombardi Trophies in 1973 and 1974. Brian won his with the 1998 Broncos as John Elway’s backup.