Report: Brian Fleury promoted to 49ers tight ends coach

The San Francisco 49ers have filled one of their coaching vacancies. Brian Fleury is expected to be named the new tight ends coach for San Francisco, replacing Jon Embree whose contract was not renewed following the end of the 2021 season.

The promotion may raise a few eyebrows. A collegiate quarterback at Towson University, Fleury has spent all but the last two seasons of his coaching career working on the defensive side of the ball.

Fleury broke into the coaching ranks at the University of Maryland in 2003-2004. This is where he made the transition from offense to defense, working under Ralph Friedgen as a defensive graduate assistant. He would reach the NFL in 2013 when he was hired to become a defensive quality control coach for the Buffalo Bills.

After a year in Buffalo, Fleury landed in Cleveland as an assistant linebacker coach in 2014. This is where he crossed paths with current 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Fleury earned a promotion to outside linebackers coach with the Browns for 2015 before joining the Miami Dolphins.

During his three seasons in Miami, Fleury served as a Football Research Analyst in 2016 and was their Director of Football Research and Strategy in 2017-2018.

Kyle Shanahan brought Fleury to the 49ers in 2019. After spending his first season in San Francisco working as a defensive quality control coach, Fleury spent the last two seasons as a quality control coach on the offensive side of the ball.

Fleury’s diverse background could prove to be beneficial. After spending years working with linebackers to help them shut down opposing tight ends, Fleury will be able to use that knowledge to keep George Kittle among the top players in the game at the position while developing Charlie Woerner and the rest of the 49er’s tight ends.

Matt Barrows of The Athletic was first to report the promotion of Fleury.