When the Falcons' season ends, Kyle Shanahan will have to decide between staying in Atlanta to coach the Falcons' historically great offense or taking on the challenge of rebuilding the 49ers -- a task that has proved to be too difficult for two coaches in the past two seasons.

The 49ers will offer Shanahan, 37, their head coaching job, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Before zeroing in on Shanahan, the 49ers also interviewed Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who recently withdrew himself from consideration, and Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable, who also withdrew. So, Shanahan appears to be the frontrunner, even though that means the 49ers will be forced to wait for the Falcons' season to end.

They're scheduled to play host to the Packers on Sunday in the NFC title game.

Albert Breer of the Monday Morning Quarterback reported that the 49ers will interview Shanahan again about their general manager vacancy.

CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora added that the second interview will likely determine if Shanahan will take the job:

He will meet with the 49ers in Atlanta early next week, sources said, at which point the 49ers will try to sell him on the job. They'll present GM candidates and work to put together a staff he would be comfortable with. It's by no means a guarantee Shanahan would leave a great situation on Atlanta for a franchise with a horrible reputation since it's fallout with Jim Harbaugh.

Shanahan would remain a top candidate for most any head coaching job next year, while the 49ers would be in a crisis of sorts were he to decline their offer next week, as they need to replenish a full front office and coaching staff.

Shanahan, the son of two-time Super Bowl winning coach Mike Shanahan, guided Matt Ryan to an MVP-caliber regular season and led an offense that tied for the seventh-most points scored in NFL history. He has been with Atlanta since the beginning of the 2015 season and previously held offensive coordinator jobs with the Texans, Redskins and Browns.

As it stands, the 49ers' roster is devoid of talent, which is why they've gone 7-25 since Jim Harbaugh bolted for Michigan, and fired Jim Tomsula and Chip Kelly in successive seasons. But the team does hold the No. 2 pick in draft, which might give Shanahan a chance to find and groom a quarterback -- if he takes the job, of course.

Given the dominant state of the Falcons offense, he could prefer to stay in Atlanta and seize a better opening in the future.