Packers reportedly adding veteran OL coach Mike SolariGreen Bay — Former San Francisco 49ers offensive line coach Mike Solari, who has coached in the NFL since 1987, including two years with the Kansas City Chiefs when Mike McCarthy was quarterbacks coach there, is reportedly joining the Packers coaching staff.
Fox Sports' Alex Marvez reported that Solari, who was Jim Harbaugh's line coach from 2010-'14, had taken a job with the Packers. Media reports had indicated that Solari was still under contract and that the 49ers had to give permission for him to interview.
Solari is a veteran coach who led an extremely tough and talented offensive line for a 49ers team that beat the Packers three times in a two-year span, including two playoff victories.
McCarthy has been in the market for an assistant to offensive line coach James Campen since Steve Marshall left to become offensive line coach with the New York Jets in January. Solari, who turned 60 last month, interviewed in Buffalo where he could have joined former 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
Solari spent two years coaching special teams in Dallas in 1987 and '88, but it seems unlikely he would be hired to fill the spot Shawn Slocum held before being fired or filling the spot assistant Ron Zook held assuming Zook is promoted to special teams coach.
Solari would add a lot of experience to the staff and could be part of the structure McCarthy is creating to help him transfer play-calling duties and possibly spread the game-planning assignments around. The line had its best year under Campen and would return all five starters if free agent right tackle Bryan Bulaga is re-signed.
McCarthy is apparently handing play-calling duties over to Tom Clements, although the Packers have made no announcements yet.
Before coaching in San Francisco, Solari succeeded Tom Lovat as Mike Holmgren's offensive line coach in Seattle ('08-'09). He was in Kansas City for 11 years before that, first as line coach ('97-'05) and then as offensive coordinator ('06-'07). McCarthy was quarterbacks coach with the Chiefs from '95-'98.
Solari began his coaching career at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was offensive coordinator in 1986. (McCarthy joined the Pitt staff three years later). He left to coach special teams and be the assistant offensive line coach with the Cowboys, where he stayed for two years.
He coached offensive lines for the Cardinals ('89) and the University of Alabama ('90-'91) before spending five years coaching tight ends for the 49ers.
The list of coaches Solari has worked under includes Marty Schottenheimer, **** Vermeil, Herman Edwards, George Seifert, Gene Stallings and Tom Landry.
