New 49ers coach Chip Kelly has hired Jeff Nixon as the team’s tight ends coach, a source told CSNBayArea.com on Tuesday.

Nixon spent the previous five seasons with the Miami Dolphins as running backs coach. Nixon takes the position that Tony Sparano held last season. Sparano was hired recently as the Minnesota Vikings' offensive line coach.

Nixon was on Andy Reid’s coaching staff with the Philadelphia Eagles for four seasons before joining the Dolphins. Nixon served under Reid as a special teams and running back assistant from 2007 to ’10.

Before coming to the NFL, Nixon coached wide receivers and running backs at Temple in 2006, and running backs, tight ends and special teams at Tennessee-Chattanooga from 2003 to ’05.



