49ers running backs coach Bobby Turner was named one of two winners of the Dr. Z Award given out by the Pro Football Writers of America. Raiders defensive line coach Rod Marinelli was also a recipient of the award.
The Dr. Z Award is a lifetime achievement honor dished out by the PFWA to assistant coaches in the NFL. Per the PFWA, the award is named after longtime Sports Illustrated NFL writer Paul ‘Dr. Z’ Zimmerman, who served as the PFWA president in 1982.
Turner has been an NFL assistant for 26 years, and with the 49ers since 2017 when head coach Kyle Shanahan took over. Since then Turner has played an integral role in the team’s ability to construct an effective backfield without ever using premium picks on a running back.
Raheem Mostert found his role as a running back after primarily working as a special teams player through his first few NFL seasons. Undrafted players like Jeff Wilson Jr. and Matt Breida have also found success in Turner’s backfields with San Francisco.
Prior to coming to San Francisco, Turner was key in helping Mike Shanahan churn out strong rushing attacks in Denver and Washington, then joined Kyle Shanahan in Atlanta when he became the Falcons’ offensive coordinator.
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