Offensive coordinators the Detroit Lions need to consider hiring in 2022
By Bob Heyrman
There are also a couple of current offensive coordinators I’d love to see the Detroit Lions pursue.
Mike McDaniel was elevated to offensive coordinator under Kyle Shanahan with the San Francisco 49ers before the 2021 NFL season.
Before officially becoming the offensive coordinator, McDaniel served as an offensive assistant with the title ‘run-game coordinator.’ During the same time, the 49ers also had a passing-game coordinator in Mike LaFleur, who is the brother to Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.
At the end of last season, 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh accepted the New York Jets offer to become their next head coach and took Mike LaFleur with him to be his offensive coordinator.
Around the same time, the Miami Dolphins started sniffing around McDaniel, and Shanahan, who serves as the acting offensive play-caller, didn’t want to risk losing McDaniel as well, so he promoted him to offensive coordinator.
There is a chance the Detroit Lions could be a draw for someone like McDaniel, allowing him to have an opportunity to become a play-caller finally. As a play-caller, it opens the door if victorious to quickly become a head coach.
When you think of Shanahan-led 49ers, the first thing you should think of is that power zone-run game they deploy.
The 49ers currently rank 7th in rushing offense averaging 126.6 yards per game, that, with a revolving door at the running back position. It’s a plug-and-play rushing offense, similar to Detroit. Just take what Craig Reynolds has accomplished over the past two games.
McDaniel has been at Shanahan’s side in Washington, Cleveland, Atlanta, and San Francisco. There is a lot of knowledge there, plus just imagine what he could do with Detroit’s run game with those backs behind that current offensive line.