Klint Kubiak wasn't able to earn himself a Super Bowl ring with the San Francisco 49ers falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime on Sunday, but the coach has landed a new gig. The Niners passing game coordinator has reached a deal with the New Orleans Saints to become the team's next offensive coordinator, according to NFL Media. This had been a move long speculated to happen following San Francisco's playoff run and the Saints made quick work to secure him less than 24 hours after the conclusion of Super Bowl LVIII.
Kubiak, 36, had served as the 49ers' offensive passing game specialist, one of the top assistant positions under head coach Kyle Shanahan. While Shanahan is generally credited as the mastermind behind San Francisco's vaunted offense, which included a pair of MVP candidates in Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey this season, Kubiak is just the latest in a growing list of assistants to draw outside interest for their role in the 49ers attack. Mike McDaniel (now the Miami Dolphins head coach) and Bobby Slowik (Houston Texans OC) are recent Shanahan aides to warrant promotions, with Slowik holding Kubiak's now former title in 2022.
Prior to joining the 49ers in 2023, Kubiak spent 2022 as the Denver Broncos' quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator, serving as a primary play-caller late that year. He previously spent three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, first as QBs coach (2019-2020) and then as OC in 2021, when QB Kirk Cousins was among four offensive starters to earn Pro Bowl honors. He is also the son of former Broncos and Texans head coach Gary Kubiak, who led Denver to a Super Bowl 50 victory in 2015.
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Kubiak is set to replace Pete Carmichael Jr. in New Orleans. The latter was the NFL's longest-tenured OC from 2009-2023, spending 15 seasons under Sean Payton and Dennis Allen with the Saints, and was dismissed following this season. Kubiak will now look to improve upon an offense that ranked in the bottom half of the league in yards per play (5.1) in 2023 while also ranking in the middle of the pack on both third down (38.72% conversion rate) and red zone efficiency (53.3% touchdown rate).
