Report: 49ers Hiring Brian Griese as New Quarterbacks Coach

Griese’s “Monday Night Football” position was in limbo after ESPN hired Troy Aikman earlier in the offseason.

The 49ers are hiring Brian Griese as the team’s new quarterbacks coach, Adam Schefter reports.

Griese has spent the past two years as a color commentator on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” broadcasting team.

Former Monday Night Football analyst Brian Griese is leaving ESPN to become the Quarterbacks Coach for the 49ers, sources tell @SethWickersham and me. Griese and Kyle Shanahan have known each other for years; Griese played QB in Tampa when Shanahan was on the Bucs coaching staff.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 5, 2022

Griese played 11 years as a quarterback in the NFL before joining ESPN in 2009. He spent the next 11 years as a member of ESPN’s college football coverage, then joined Steve Levy and Louis Riddick in the network’s “Monday Night Football” booth in 2020.

While Griese is leaving, Riddick is also interviewing for NFL jobs and is a candidate for the Steelers’ open general manager position.

Last month, ESPN hired Troy Aikman away from FOX to join their “Monday Night Football” team as a color commentator.

Griese and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan have a history together, as both were a part of the Buccaneers in the 2004 and 2005 seasons, Griese as a quarterback and Shanahan as a quality coach. 

Griese also began his NFL career playing for Mike Shanahan in Denver, first as John Elway’s backup then as the starter. He spent five total seasons with the Broncos.

The 49ers have had a significant “brain drain” of coaches over the past few years. The Dolphins hired offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel as their new head coach last month, while last year’s quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello left the team to become Kentucky’s new offensive coordinator. Before Scangarello, Shane Day was the 49ers QB coach for two years, then joined the Chargers in the same role.

Griese joins Anthony Lynn as prominent new members of San Fransisco’s coaching staff.

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