49ers interview Iowa State assistant for offensive coordinator job

49ers interview Iowa State assistant for offensive coordinator job originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The 49ers on Monday conducted an interview with Iowa State wide receivers coach/pass game coordinator Noah Pauley for the team’s offensive coordinator position, the team announced.

Pauley completed his second season coaching wide receivers at Iowa State. He held the same position previously at FCS power North Dakota State from 2019 to 2022.

Pauley is the first external candidate to interview for offensive coordinator. The 49ers must interview two external minority candidates at offensive coordinator before coach Kyle Shanahan can make a hiring.

Shanahan announced Wednesday at his season-ending press conference that Klay Kubiak would receive a title promotion to offensive coordinator. Kubiak held the title of offensive passing game specialist in 2024, his fourth season with the 49ers.

“Klay’s role is going to be the same as it’s been, which has been the offensive coordinator,” Shanahan said last week. “He just hasn’t had that title, yet.”

However, the NFL informed the 49ers that they must comply with the Rooney Rule before filling the role of offensive coordinator. The NFL requires every team to interview at least two external minority candidates in person or virtual for a coordinator opening.

Only once before has Shanahan had an individual on his staff with the title of 49ers offensive coordinator. That was in 2021, when Mike McDaniel held that role. He spent one season with the title before the Miami Dolphins hired him as head coach in 2022.

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