The San Francisco 49ers are in the process of a massive restructuring of their athletic training and conditioning programs. The shakeup started earlier this month with the firing of head strength and conditioning coach Ray Wright and long-time head athletic trainer Jeff Ferguson.
The 49ers finished the 2018 season with 14 players on injured reserve. This past season's list included two players head coach Kyle Shanahan was depending on — quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and running back Jerick McKinnon, who were each lost to torn ACLs.
Injuries have played their part in the team winning just 10 games over the past two seasons and led to the decision to reshape the organization's two staffs.
That will include combining the two groups under a yet to be identified "head coach of training," according to Shanahan. At least, that is the working title the team is going with for now. It's a structure Shanahan says is influenced by some basketball and soccer organizations.
"It's stuff that we've researched a lot, and we're trying to go that direction," Shanahan said via team reporter Joe Fann.
Shanahan and the 49ers are in Mobile, Alabama this week as the staff prepares to coach the South squad during the Senior Bowl on Saturday. The head coach spoke with reporters on Tuesday and discussed the team's vision for the restructure.
"(The new position will) mold those two places so you're not dealing with separate parts of the building, and we can make it a little more collaborative," Shanahan said via NBC Sports Bay Area.
While Shanahan discussed the new role, the hiring process will be headed by general manager John Lynch and team CEO Jed York, according to Matt Maiocco. In addition to a "head coach of training," the 49ers plan to fill Wright's and Ferguson's vacant positions.
"It's trying to make the overall medical and strength and conditioning staff of the San Francisco 49ers stronger," said Shanahan.
