Fresh off a playoff exit, 49ers OC Klay Kubiak is a leading candidate for Pittsburgh's head coach, aiming to fill Tomlin's void.
A day after his team was eliminated from the playoffs, San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak interviewed for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coaching vacancy on Sunday.
The 49ers lost to the Seattle Seahawks 41-6 in an NFL Divisional game on Saturday night. Kubiak then spoke with the Steelers via teleconference, five days after Mike Tomlin resigned after 19 seasons as coach.
Pittsburgh is scheduled to interview Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores on Monday and former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy at some point this week. The Steelers have interviewed two Los Angeles Rams assistant coaches – defensive coordinator Brian Shula and pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase – as well as Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver are also expected to be interviewed. Kubiak also interviewed for the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coaching job on Sunday.
Kubiak, 37, comes from a football family. His father, Gary, spent 10 seasons as a head coach with the Houston Texans (2006-13) and the Denver Broncos (2015-16). He was also a quarterback with the Broncos for nine seasons from 1983-91, serving as Hall of Famer John Elway’s primary backup.
Klay Kubiak’s brother, Klint, is the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator. Another brother, Klein, is a scout for the Cowboys.
Klay Kubiak just finished his first season as the 49ers’ offensive coordinator. They finished seventh in total offense and 10th in scoring offense despite quarterback Brock Purdy missing eight games because of a toe injury. The 49ers had a 12-6 record.
Kubiak began his NFL coaching career with the 49ers in 2021, serving as a defensive control assistant, assistant quarterbacks coach, and pass game specialist before being promoted to offensive coordinator. Kubiak came to the 49ers from the high school ranks. He was the offensive coordinator for four seasons and the head coach for three years at Strake Jesuit College Prep in Houston.
Kubiak was a quarterback at Colorado State from 2007-10. He appeared in just four games during his career, completing 19 passes for 252 yards and being intercepted twice.
Kubiak has a master’s degree in English from TCU.