Jesse Madden is following his late grandfather John’s Hall of Fame footsteps into the NFL coaching ranks.

The Washington Commanders revealed Tuesday that Madden will serve as an offensive quality control coach under Dan Quinn, who got his NFL start in a similar entry-level role with the 49ers in 2001 under Steve Mariucci.

Jesse Madden, 21, is the third-oldest of John and Virginia Madden’s five grandchildren. He grew up in Pleasanton and played at Bishop O’Dowd High School before joining Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan program in 2021.

He appeared in one game at quarterback as a 2021 freshman against Northern Illinois, and thus earned a varsity letter, three months before his grandfather passed away at age 85. When John Madden retired in 2016 from his award-winning second career as the NFL’s ultimate broadcast analyst, a driving force was to spend more time with his grandchildren — Sam, Jack, Jesse, Aidan and McKenna.

Jesse Madden switched from quarterback to become a reserve safety and scout-team star at national champion Michigan, all while casting an eye toward a future in coaching.

The Commanders reached the NFC Championship Game this past season under a group of leaders in their first year with the once-troubled franchise: Quinn, quarterback Jayden Daniels, general manager Adam Peters (formerly the 49ers’ assistant GM), and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

“Love hiring talented young dudes who will be NEXT!!!!!” Quinn wrote in a text message to this news organization.

Madden’s addition to the staff was announced in conjunction with the hiring of special teams coordinator Brian Schneider, who held that role the previous three seasons with the 49ers before being fired a day after their 6-11 season ended.

49ers release linebacker Flannigan-Fowles >> Veteran linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles was released by the 49ers, with the club retaining seven other players through one-year exclusive rights tenders.

Flannigan-Fowles is a core special teams player who has played in 73 games with seven starts at linebacker since arriving as an undrafted free agent in 2020.

In 2025, Flannigan-Fowles played in 12 games and had 17 tackles including one tackle for loss.

The 49ers who are returning for the offseason on one-year, non-guaranteed deals are defensive tackle Evan Anderson, defensive end Sam Okuayinonu, linebacker Jalen Graham, tackle Austin Pleasants, defensive end Alex Barrett and tight ends Jake Tongues and Brayden Willis.

Anderson (6-foot-1, 326 pounds) was a pleasant surprise as an undrafted free agent out of Florida Atlantic, playing in 12 games with one start and 24 tackles, two for losses. He played 267 snaps on defense. Okuayinonu played in 16 games with three starts and had three sacks and played 467 snaps.

Graham, Pleasants, Barrett, Tonges and Willis all saw time with the 49ers. Pleasants was a late-season signing after left tackle Trent Williams was injured.

— Jerry McDonald

Ex-Stanford coach Shaw hired by Lions >> David Shaw, who hasn’t coached since stepping down as Stanford’s head coach in 2022, was hired as the Detroit Lions’ passing game coordinator, the team announced.

Shaw, 52, hasn’t coached in the NFL since serving as the Baltimore Ravens’ wide receivers coach in 2005.

In Detroit, Shaw will work under new Lions offensive coordinator John Morton, who coached alongside Shaw with the Oakland Raiders from 1998-2001.

Shaw, who was the quarterbacks coach during his last season with the Raiders in 2001, will also work with a familiar face in new Lions offensive assistant Marques Tuiasosopo, who was a rookie quarterback with the Raiders that year.

Shaw was Stanford’s head coach for 12 seasons, going 96-54 with five bowl wins, including three trips to the Rose Bowl and two victories there, as well. Stanford won no less than eight games in each of his first eight seasons at the helm. He has also received a handful of NFL head-coaching interview opportunities and is a well-respected figure in league circles.

He spent the 2024 season with the Denver Broncos as a senior personnel executive.

Shaw’s father, Willie, was the Lions’ defensive backs coach from 1985-88, 10 years before he served a two-year stint as Oakland’s defensive coordinator.

— Jon Becker

Panthers re-sign veteran QB Dalton >> The Carolina Panthers re-signed quarterback Andy Dalton to a two-year contract, giving them a veteran presence behind starter Bryce Young heading into the 2025 season.

The 37-year-old Dalton, who threw for 989 yards with seven touchdowns and six interceptions in five starts last season, was set to become an unrestricted free agent next month. Dalton joined the Panthers in 2023 and spent the past two seasons mainly backing up Young, the No. 1 overall pick that year.

However, Dalton was thrust into a starting role in Week 3 last season when first-year head coach Dave Canales benched Young after the Panthers started 0-2 and were outscored 73-13. Canales said at the time he turned to Dalton because he felt he “gave the Panthers the best chance to win.”

Dalton responded by throwing for 319 yards and three touchdowns in his first start, a 36-22 road win at Las Vegas. However, he lost his next four starts before being sidelined with a sprained thumb following a car crash in Charlotte.

NFL rescinds Mixon’s $25,000 fine >> The NFL has rescinded a $25,000 fine Houston’s Joe Mixon received for comments about officiating in the Texans’ loss to the Chiefs in the divisional round of the playoffs after an appeal by the running back.

Mixon was given the fine for his comments following the 23-14 loss where Houston’s defense was penalized twice for hits on quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.