(Photo via Wikipedia Commons / Keith Allison)
If I was building an NFL front office from scratch, and Mike Shanahan was interested in an advisory role with my organization, I’d create a job for him immediately.
As Jed York and Paraag Marathe board their private plane down to Atlanta this weekend for meetings with Kyle Shanahan and GM candidates George Paton and Terry McDonough, it’s Mike Shanahan’s name and the power he wields that could become the crucial element to finalizing San Francisco’s puzzle.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio is reporting there is chatter in league circles Kyle will use his considerable leverage on York to ensure his father has a lofty role on the organizational chart.
The hesitation from York would be understandable. During a tumultuous 2013 season in Washington, Mike got into a leaking war in the media against owner Daniel Snyder over quarterback Robert Griffin III. The Redskins were turned upside down on their heads in a 3-13 disaster. Mike is powerful, calculated, experienced and, at times in Washington, spiteful.
At the same time, we are talking about one of the greatest minds in NFL history. Only 13 men have won multiple Super Bowls as a head coach and Shanahan is one of them. He cemented John Elway’s legacy behind his powerful running scheme and in 14 seasons in Denver, only two were under .500. His recent track record of decision making in D.C. — arguing Kirk Cousins was better than RGIII, drafting Jordan Reed, Trent Williams, Ryan Kerrigan and signing Pierre Garcon in free agency — gave the Redskins a bright future. This man can project talent. He knows football.
I’m on-board with the move if Shanahan is hired in a lead advisor role, where he’s around the football team for key decisions, but not in the building every day. Giving him the title of executive VP of operations, at this point, is setting the 49ers up for inevitable friction. The new GM would feel neutered. That’s not a good start for reconfiguring the cohesion.
That’s where this gets tricky for York. Kyle has the 49ers handcuffed. There are no other coaching candidates. Swinging and missing on an offensive coordinator who has taken the NFL by storm would be the ultimate embarrassment for York. He can’t fly back to Santa Clara without Shanahan. And that very well could mean adding a corner office for Mike and a cushy job title that conflicts with the GM. Paton could opt for the job in Indianapolis, McDonough could stay in Arizona. The 49ers might have to continue this GM search.
York swallowing his pride on this issue could actually be a huge point of growth. Having an elder statesmen around is what many of us have argued is a missing component of the 49ers. When asked at his Jan. 2 press conference whether or not he would add a president of football operations to his front office, the CEO had no interest.
“So, ultimately the decision will rest with me. I will look at people inside the building and continue to consult people outside of the building, folks that I trust, folks that are very well respected,” York said. “But, our system and our structure is going to be a head coach and a general manager and ultimately that decision will rest with me.”
Plans change quick, Jed. You probably don’t have a choice now.
Where could Mike be of most assistance, you ask? Observing how Kyle and the new GM are implementing the culture and suggesting ideas to fine tune it. He was a stern disciplinarian with players back in his day and will give guidance on how a first-time head coach should put out internal fires around the building. Mike could also spend some time watching film on college prospects. As mentioned above, he hit several home runs for the Redskins when in charge of personnel.
Nepotism is a fear. What happened in Washington with Snyder is a tremendous fear. Alienating the new GM and a scouting department is certainly a risk.
This is the bottom line: Mike badly wants back in the NFL. And Kyle understands his own football career wouldn’t have been possible without his dad. You can sort of sense Kyle feels like he owes his dad. And what perfect place to do that in San Francisco? Even Steve Young is a Mike Shanahan fan.
The 49ers have no choice but to give Kyle the keys to the kingdom. But the good news is that bringing Mike into the fold has more pros than cons.