After SDSU, Solari coached at the high school level in Southern California, for the Mission Bay Pirates in the Pacific Beach sector of San Diego, and as a wrestling and assistant track coach at Orange Glen High School in 1978–79. Next he began his college coaching career at nearby MiraCosta College, a community college in Oceanside. He then went to United States International University (USIU) as an assistant football coach on Tom Walsh's staff.
He was with the Dallas Cowboys as assistant offensive line coach and special teams coach.
Solari joined the San Francisco 49ers in 1992 as tight ends coach and assistant offensive line coach. There he won a Super Bowl ring as a member of 1994 49ers coaching staff.
In 1997, he joined the Kansas City Chiefs as their O-line coach. And for many years, tutored some of the best lineman in the NFL, including Pro Football Hall of FamersWill Shields and Willie Roaf. Upon the retirement of Dick Vermeil and the signing of incumbent OC Al Saunders by Washington, Solari was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2006. After the conclusion of the 2007 season, Solari was fired by the Chiefs following a 4–12 season and was replaced by former Georgia Tech head coach and long-time NFL coach Chan Gailey.[1]
Solari joined the Seahawks staff in 2008, he changed its offensive line scheme to more zone blocking.[2]