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Longtime NFL Coach Quits Coaching At 49 Years Old

Originally posted on The Spun | By Matt Hladik | Last updated Feb 26, 2025 3:54 PM ET

On Tuesday, the San Francisco 49ers announced a number of coaching staff changes.

Among the most notable were the promotion of Klay Kubiak from passing game specialist to offensive coordinator and Mick Lombardi from senior offensive assistant to quarterbacks coach. One name that was conspicuously absent from the 49ers' revamped staff was Brian Griese, who coached the team's quarterbacks the last three seasons.

According to a report from Eric Branch the San Francisco Chronicle, Griese has elected to step away from coaching. No reason for the decision was provided, but Branch noted that Griese previously acknowledged the difficulty of being away from his family in Denver during his first season with the 49ers in 2022.

"It's not the easiest thing in the world to be away from them," Griese told the Chronicle in June 2023.

Griese, 49, previously got into coaching after a long career as a broadcaster. From 2009 to 2020, he was a college football analyst for ESPN before transitioning to the network's Monday Night Football coverage during the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 08: ESPN Monday Night Football announcer Brian Griese looks on prior to the game between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on January 8, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

It's unclear if he wants to return to the booth or will simply pursue other opportunities while spending more time with his family.

A Super Bowl champion as John Elway's backup with the Denver Broncos in 1998, Griese played 11 seasons in the NFL with the Broncos (1998-2002), Miami Dolphins (2003), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2004-05, 2008) and Chicago Bears (2006-07).

Griese finished his pro career with 19,440 passing yards, 119 touchdowns and 99 interceptions in 93 games. The Michigan alum made the Pro Bowl and led the NFL in passer rating in 2000 and also paced the league in completion percentage in 2004.

The son of Miami Dolphins legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Bob Griese, Griese won a national championship as a senior at Michigan in 1997.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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