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San Francisco 49ers hire Kyle Shanahan as head coach

By Phil Naegely

Feb 5, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan talks with safety Ricardo Allen (37) before Super Bowl LI against the New England Patriots at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 5, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan talks with safety Ricardo Allen (37) before Super Bowl LI against the New England Patriots at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Kyle Shanahan has officially been named as the next San Francisco 49ers head coach.

A day after dominating the New England Patriots defense before going cold in the second half, Kyle Shanahan is moving to the West Coast. The San Francisco 49ers announced Shanahan, who was named Associated Press Assistant Coach of the Year for the 2016 season, as the team’s 20th head coach.

Throughout the 2016 season, Shanahan proved himself with his play calling abilities. His eventual departure from Atlanta to San Francisco was one of the worst kept secrets especially after John Lynch was hired as the team’s newest general manager. Overall, the Falcons’ success and Super Bowl run delayed the official announcement. As a result, Shanahan and the 49ers are behind compared to other teams as they start to prepare for the 2017 NFL Draft.

Offensively, the Falcons sat in the top-five across the league in total offense, passing yards, and rushing yards. This is directly attributed to Shanahan’s impressive and accurate play calling throughout the season. The Falcons’ success carried over into the playoffs as they scored 28 or more points in each playoff game.

Shanahan has plenty of NFL experience, including being the offensive coordinator for four different teams. His latest stop with the Atlanta Falcons was arguably his best on paper and when it came to winning. It’s his first trip to the Super Bowl as an offensive coordinator.

The Texas graduate had plenty of weapons to work with in Atlanta. Likewise, he had an already developed quarterback in Matt Ryan who was versatile.

Shanahan has his work cut out for him in San Francisco. It will be interesting to see if he can turn around a once great franchise around. Chip Kelly had trouble doing it in only one year partly due to the toxic nature of the team’s front office. Luckily for Shanahan, he will be working with new front office personnel.

Next: NFL Mock Draft 2017

While it will be tougher in San Francisco than staying in Atlanta, it makes sense why Shanahan would take the job as head coach. It’s his team now and he now directs the operation in all facets on the field as he oversees both the players and coaches.