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49ers Offensive Coordinator to Call Plays in Preseason
7 Aug
Summary
- 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan will let offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak call plays in preseason
- Shanahan has confidence in Kubiak and believes play-calling duties are "overrated"
- Several key 49ers starters, including Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, and George Kittle, are expected to sit out the preseason opener
In the lead-up to the 2025 NFL preseason, the San Francisco 49ers have announced a significant change to their offensive play-calling duties. Head coach Kyle Shanahan, who typically handles the offensive play-calling, will be turning over those responsibilities to offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak for the preseason.
Shanahan explained that Kubiak will call the plays against the Denver Broncos this Saturday and is likely to continue doing so throughout the entire preseason. The 49ers head coach expressed his confidence in Kubiak, stating that he has "so much confidence in Klay" and that the play-calling duties are "a little bit overrated" in terms of their importance.
Notably, the 49ers are expected to rest several of their key starters for the preseason opener, including quarterback Brock Purdy, running back Christian McCaffrey, and tight end George Kittle. Shanahan said he would be "surprised" to see much of these players on the field, as he prefers to focus on the joint practices with the Broncos rather than the actual preseason games, which he considers to be "a little bit more of a pain."
The 49ers' decision to hand over play-calling duties to Kubiak and rest their top players in the preseason opener suggests a strategic approach to the preseason, prioritizing player development and minimizing injury risk over immediate game results.
