49ers predicted to replace Kyle Shanahan with Lions superstar coach

The Detroit Lions have been one of the best teams in football this season, as Dan Campbell’s squad is 12-2 and atop the NFC North through 14 games. Detroit suffered a frustrating 48-42 defeat to the Buffalo Bills in Week 15 but will have a chance to bounce back in Week 16 versus the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.

One of the primary reasons the Lions have been so successful this season and for the past two years is the elite coaching staff. Campbell has established himself as one of the most valuable head coaches in the NFL, but the Lions arguably boast the best coordinator tandem in football with defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

Glenn has done a wonderful job with the Lions’ defense in 2024, but Johnson has been the best offensive coordinator in the league since taking over as Detroit’s offensive play-caller in 2022. Johnson has revitalized quarterback Jared Goff’s career and has turned the Lions’ offense into one of the most potent units in football.

The South Carolina native will be a hot commodity on the head coaching market this offseason, and The Wright Way Network’s Alex F. believes the San Francisco 49ers will fire Kyle Shanahan and hire Johnson as the team’s next head coach.

Speaking of Shanahan, I think his time could be up in San Francisco. There’s no denying he’s a  really good head coach. Unfortunately, there comes a time where organizations know they have  peaked with their current head coach. The 49ers have been to two Super Bowls with Shanahan,  but this season has not gone as expected. With so much uncertainty ahead for the 49ers this offseason, it may be time to move on from Shanahan and start fresh.

Next up to be the 49ers head coach is Ben Johnson. He’s proven himself to be not just an  offensive-minded head coach, but a leader. Johnson is the leader the 49ers need as they head into  an offseason that will be highlighted by uncertainty. With Ben Johnson as their next head coach,  the 49ers will continue to be one of the NFL’s best offenses and a perennial Super Bowl  contender.

Though Johnson is the most promising young offensive mind in the NFL and will be one of the top names on the head coaching market this offseason, the 49ers would be foolish to fire Shanahan. The 45-year-old has led San Francisco to two Super Bowl appearances in eight years and has done so with an average quarterback situation for most of his tenure.

The 49ers have struggled in 2024, owning a 6-8 record entering Week 16, but the team has been ravaged by injuries and plays in one of the most competitive divisions in football.

Johnson will likely find success as a head coach, but San Francisco already has an established head coach who has proven he can win games and battle adversity. Kyle Shanahan is still one of the best head coaches in the NFL, and firing the former long-time offensive coordinator for Johnson, who has yet to serve as a head coach at the professional level, would be pure incompetence from the 49ers.