The San Francisco 49ers offense racked up 436 total yards on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium despite falling 47-24 in their season finale. It marked the team's fifth-highest yardage total this season. Their 298 passing yards were the fourth-most in 2024. However, it wasn't head coach Kyle Shanahan calling the plays.
Shanahan revealed to NBC Sports Bay Area that he handed over play-calling responsibilities to offensive assistant Klay Kubiak. It was an unprecedented move for Shanahan, the primary play-caller throughout his tenure with the team.
The 49ers rolled up 436 of total offense with Klay Kubiak calling plays. Coach Kyle Shanahan told NBC Sports Bay Area he turned the duties over to offensive assistant Kubiak. Shanahan called plays in every regular-season game he's coached since 2008, his first year as Texans' OC.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) January 6, 2025
Kubiak stepped into the role under challenging circumstances. Not only was it his first regular-season opportunity to call plays, but he also did so without starting quarterback Brock Purdy, who was injured.
Quarterback Josh Dobbs took the reins of the offense in Purdy's absence, completing 67.4 percent of his passes for 326 yards and two touchdowns. However, Dobbs also accounted for all three of the 49ers' turnovers.
Kubiak previously called plays during two preseason games. Sunday's contest, with no playoff implications for the 49ers, offered a low-pressure chance for him to gain valuable in-game experience. The team finished its disappointing season with just six wins, falling far short of its once-lofty Super Bowl aspirations.
Kubiak joined Shanahan's staff in 2021 as a defensive quality control coach before transitioning to an offensive role. He served as an assistant quarterbacks coach and was promoted to offensive passing game specialist this season.
Football runs deep in the Kubiak family. Klay is the son of former NFL head coach Gary Kubiak. His brother, Klint, served as the 49ers' passing game coordinator in 2023 before becoming the New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator this season.