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Dan Patrick floats Brian Griese as potential candidate at Michigan to replace Sherrone Moore

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz12/24/25NickSchultz_7

After Kalen DeBoer and Alabama defeated Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff and Kenny Dillingham signed a new contract at Arizona State, the Michigan coaching search remains ongoing. Wednesday marks two weeks since UM fired Sherrone Moore.

But Dan Patrick floated another potential name who could come up in the search. Based on conversations he had with a college football source, he wondered if former Michigan quarterback Brian Griese could get a call.

Griese played for the Wolverines from 1993-97 before spending 10 years in the NFL. He later worked for ESPN as an analyst on Monday Night Football and worked as the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterbacks coach from 2022-24, helping develop Brock Purdy. But as Michigan’s search continues, Patrick said Griese’s name has come up in Ann Arbor.

“One of my college sources said to me yesterday … he said, ‘I’ve got a name for you,'” Patrick said Tuesday on his show. “He said, ‘I’ve spoken to somebody at Michigan about this name.’ This person has not been interviewed, but this person does have ties to Michigan. The name is Brian Griese, former quarterback at Michigan. He was instrumental in developing Brock Purdy with the 49ers. He did take this year off to be with his family.

“Now, I don’t know anything more about that situation other than, would Brian Griese be somebody that you could bring in? He’s one of your own. Former quarterback there. Maybe, he can help ease in, transition in? Now, that’s all the information I have.”

More on Brian Griese’s playing, coaching careers

Brian Griese became a third-round pick after his career at Michigan, where he became a Rose Bowl MVP and first team All-Big Ten selection. From there, he played for the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears during his career.

In 2009, Griese joined ESPN and worked his way up to the MNF booth starting in 2020. But after three seasons, he ventured into coaching with the 49ers, serving as Kyle Shanahan’s quarterbacks coach. That gave him a key role in Purdy’s development after he went from “Mr. Irrelevant” to starter in The Bay.

While Dan Patrick acknowledged it’s unclear how serious Griese would be as a candidate, his source said the name came up in conversation at Michigan. Of course, it’s worth noting he doesn’t have any head coaching experience.

“But the more I thought about it with Brian Griese – former analyst for the Mothership, Monday Night Football – and then, helping Kyle Shanahan with the ‘9ers and Brock Purdy,” Patrick said. “He doesn’t have head coaching experience. I don’t even know if he’d be interested. Maybe you interview him. But I haven’t seen anything, heard anything other than that.

“But that was told to me yesterday by one of my college football sources, who did speak to somebody with Michigan about this topic. I don’t know where it went from there or internally, how that was received. But Brian Griese, does he want that job? Would that interest him? Would Michigan be interested? Because I do think you’ve got to be really careful right now.”