Tag: 49ers DC

49ers long defensive coordinator search is officially over

Robert Saleh is BACK.

It might have taken longer than they wanted, but the San Francisco 49ers finally have their defensive coordinator for the 2025 NFL season.

According to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, the expected reunion between the 49ers and former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is officially happening after Saleh was passed over for the Jacksonville Jaguars job.

Saleh was one of two interviews the 49ers announced for their DC opening, opening the door for speculation that San Francisco knew Saleh wasn’t going to land one of the head coach openings.

That took a turn in the lead up to the NFL’s conference championship games when the Jaguars’ top candidate, Liam Coen, backed out of the running before his second interview. That left Saleh and Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham as the lone candidates with second interviews, introducing new speculation that Saleh was the favorite for the job.

Then on Jan. 23, news quickly broke that Coen would once again pursue the Jags job after they fired general manager Trent Baalke. That quickly turned into news that Coen would be taking the Jaguars’ job, opening the door for Saleh to step into the 49ers’ DC role.

Saleh spent the 2017-20 seasons in San Francisco where he helped transform a dreadful 49ers defense into a Super Bowl caliber unit in his third season. After 2020 he was hired to be the New York Jets head coach where he spent the 2021-24 seasons. He was fired by the Jets after five games in 2024, and exited New York with a head coaching record of 20-36.

His defenses in New York were stout, though. They struggled in his first year, finishing last in the league in points and yards allowed. By his second season they leapt to No. 4 in both categories. They finished No. 3 in yards allowed the following two years.

He had similar success in San Francisco with his defenses finishing No. 2 and No. 5 in yards allowed is final two years.

The 49ers circled Saleh as their top candidate from the start, which makes sense since he checks all the boxes they’re looking for in terms of experience and prior success.

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All signs point to reunion between 49ers and their No. 1 option at DC

The 49ers appear to be in line to land Robert Saleh as their defensive coordinator … for now.

Things started breaking right for the San Francisco 49ers in their trek to land Robert Saleh as their next defensive coordinator.

It looked early Thursday as though the 49ers may need to wait until after the Super Bowl for an answer on Saleh’s future as the potential head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. It also at that time looked like he was the favorite to land the job.

Then reporting surfaced from ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday afternoon that Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who had pulled out of the running for the Jaguars job, was back in the running for the Jags job after the team fired general manager Trent Baalke.

It’s a wild turn that suddenly put Saleh in a position where he’s unlikely to land a head coaching job. For the entire process the 49ers have essentially been banking on Saleh not getting a lead job anywhere and re-joining San Francisco as their defensive coordinator.

While that was the expected outcome if he missed out on a head coach spot, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco reported a confirmation that Saleh told the 49ers he’d join their coaching staff barring an offer to be a head coach:

Nothing is finalized yet, and if the Jaguars have shown the NFL world anything over the last couple weeks it’s that anything is possible in their search for a head coach.

For now, all signs point toward Saleh missing out on that job, which would land him back leading the 49ers defense in 2025.

Update

Liam Coen is going to be the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach per the Athletic’s Jeff Howe.

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49ers miss out on one potential defensive coordinator candidate

We can rule out Jeff Ulbrich for the 49ers’ DC job.

The San Francisco 49ers’ list of potential defensive coordinator candidates appears to be short, and it got shorter Saturday when NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reported the Atlanta Falcons were set to hire Jeff Ulbrich as their new defensive coordinator.

Ulbrich has been a popular name in the 49ers’ defensive coordinator conversation because of the success he had running the New York Jets defense under then-head coach Robert Saleh. He was also the Jets’ interim head coach after Saleh was fired.

Saleh is the other name atop the 49ers’ list. He is one of the two interviews they’ve completed. Detroit Lions defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend is the other they’ve announced. Assistant head coach Brandon Staley is also expected to get an interview. Former Saints DC and head coach Dennis Allen is another name to watch per ESPN.

The Falcons hiring Ulbrich isn’t a huge issue since the team seems to have zeroed in on Saleh. However, Saleh has three head coach interviews and there’s a real chance the 49ers miss out on a chance to bring him in because he landed one of those jobs.

This could become a significant problem for San Francisco. They’re aiming for experience and continuity at the DC position and the net they’re casting has been exceedingly narrow. If they continue taking their time waiting on Saleh, they could wind up scrambling to just hire a new coach before new coaching staffs starting getting built out. That puts them in a very precarious position at perhaps the most important position on their coaching staff in the offseason.

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49ers chances of losing preferred DC candidate increase

Robert Saleh is interviewing with the Las Vegas Raiders tomorrow, and may interview with the Dallas Cowboys before the weekend.

The San Francisco 49ers may wind up losing out on their preferred candidate to fill their defensive coordinator opening.

Robert Saleh, who was fired as the head coach of the New York Jets after five games this season, is sitting atop the 49ers’ list of options to replace recently-fired DC Nick Sorensen. It appears a reunion between the 49ers and Saleh is in line barring a team hiring Saleh as their next head coach. Early in the coaching carousel it looked like the Jacksonville Jaguars might be San Francisco’s only competition. Now a report from Albert Breer indicates the list of competitors for Saleh’s services is growing.

Breer on Thursday reported Saleh was in Las Vegas to interview for the Las Vegas Raiders job Friday. He also indicated the Dallas Cowboys are ironing out a time to interview Saleh and that that interview could also be done over the weekend.

Saleh isn’t necessarily one of the hot names in this year’s head coaching cycle after going 20-36 at the helm for the Jets. Coaches like Ben Johnson, Mike McCarthy, and potentially Deion Sanders are all going to grab more headlines if they land with an NFL team. However, it’s easy to see a team turning to Saleh if they don’t get the coach they want.

This means the 49ers could be waiting around awhile for Saleh, and they’ll need to ensure they’re interviewing DC candidates in the meantime so they can act quickly if Saleh finds a head coaching job. They’ve interviewed Saleh and Detroit Lions defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend. ESPN’s Nick Wagoner signaled Dennis Allen is on San Francisco’s radar, although he hasn’t interviewed. 49ers assistant head coach/defense coach Brandon Staley is also a candidate for the job.

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Is Brandon Staley really a strong candidate for 49ers DC opening?

Are the 49ers considering Brandon Staley as their DC like … for real?

For the second consecutive year the San Francisco 49ers search for a new defensive coordinator will include an interview with former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley.

Staley interviewed for the 49ers DC opening in 2024 after the team fired its previous DC Steve Wilks. The fit with Staley never made a ton of sense because of the significant schematic shift San Francisco would have to undergo.

That schematic shift would logically be an obstacle again entering the 2025 season. However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted in a piece for ESPN.com that Staley “is a strong in-house candidate and could also be in the mix on other NFL coordinator jobs.”

While the 49ers may be trying to prop up Staley as a DC candidate to reporters like Fowler, head coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t seem enthusiastic about hiring internally for a second year in a row.

“The internal one, I’ll give Staley a shot,” said Shanahan. “Just talking to him, he’s been here. There will be a lot of guys outside the building too.”

That doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement for Staley out of the gates. Shanahan did say he’s open to any changes he believes would make the team better, so perhaps Staley’s interview creates some wholesale change in mindset for the 49ers head coach.

While that’s on the table, it also feels unlikely with coaches like Robert Saleh, Jeff Ulbrich, Dennis Allen and others on the market who have experience in the 4-3 base defense Shanahan has long preferred.

Staley is a big name who will get another interview, but it’s hard to imagine he’s atop the 49ers list of candidates as they move through the process of finding a long-term answer to run their defense.

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There appears to be clear frontrunner for 49ers DC opening

No surprise here…

The San Francisco 49ers added a new first priority to their offseason plate when head coach Kyle Shanahan fired defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen.

They’ve been swift in looking for Sorensen’s replacement, completing their first two interviews Thursday with others likely coming soon.

One of the first two candidates they interviewed was Robert Saleh, who was San Francisco’s DC from 2017-20 before being hired as the New York Jets head coach. According to a report from ESPN’s Dan Graziano, NFL personnel believe Saleh is the favorite in the 49ers’ search.

That’s not a huge surprise since one report early in the process noted the 49ers were ready to offer Saleh the job.

However, the 49ers can’t put all their eggs in that basket since Saleh is also interviewing for the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach opening. Saleh was the Jaguars linebackers coach before joining the 49ers as their defensive coordinator, so a reunion would make sense.

San Francisco should have other candidates lined up in the event Saleh lands the Jaguars job. Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters in his end-of-season press conference that assistant head coach Brandon Staley would get an interview. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler also noted the team’s extreme interest in former New York Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich last season. The Jets didn’t allow Ulbrich to get out of his contract, but it stands to reason he’d be on the 49ers’ short list if they don’t land Saleh.

Fowler also wrote that his “sense is veteran players there are tired of the lack of continuity after back-to-back coordinator hirings and firings.” That puts additional pressure on Shanahan to get this hire right to ensure next offseason doesn’t include another firing. It should also put some pressure on the team to begin grooming an internal candidate to step in should the next DC get hired away as a head coach. They haven’t done that since DeMeco Ryans left and its put them in a spot where they’re on a third DC search in three seasons.

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NFL Twitter reacts to 49ers hiring Nick Sorensen as new defensive coordinator

Here’s what fans and analysts were saying on Twitter after the 49ers reportedly hired Nick Sorensen as their new defensive coordinator.

The San Francisco 49ers reportedly have a new defensive coordinator.

After one season of Steve Wilks at defensive coordinator, the 49ers are promoting defensive passing game specialist and nickles coach Nick Sorensen to defensive coordinator, per Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

Along with promoting Sorensen, the 49ers are hiring former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley to a “prominent staff role,” according to Schefter and Fowler. The 49ers interviewed Staley as a candidate for defensive coordinator. Prior to joining the Chargers as head coach, Staley was defensive coordinator under Sean McVay with the Los Angeles Rams.

Via @AdamSchefter on Twitter:

Sorensen joined the 49ers as a defensive assistant in 2022. Prior to coaching on Kyle Shanahan’s staff, Sorensen was the special teams coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Before joining the Jaguars, Sorensen coached with the Seattle Seahawks from 2013 to 2020.

After the reported promotion of Sorensen and the hiring of Staley, the NFL community on Twitter exploded with reactions. Here’s what fans and analysts were saying on social media early on Saturday morning.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

Report: 49ers promote Nick Sorensen to defensive coordinator

The defensive passing game specialist has reportedly been promoted defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers.

After an extended search that has included multiple candidates, the San Francisco 49ers have reportedly made a decision on their next defensive coordinator.

According to Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the 49ers are planning to promote defensive passing game specialist Nick Sorensen as their new defensive coordinator. Along with promoting Sorensen, the 49ers are also hiring former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley to a “prominent staff role,” per Shefter and Fowler. Staley initially interviewed for the 49ers opening at defensive coordinator.

Via @AdamSchefter on Twitter:

Sorensen joined Kyle Shanahan’s coaching staff in 2022 as the defensive passing game and nickles coach. Prior to joining the 49ers, Sorensen served as the Jacksonville Jaguars special teams coordinator in 2021. Along with Jacksonville, Sorensen has also served as an assistant coach of the Seattle Seahawks for eight seasons, winning a Super Bowl as a special teams coach in 2013. Sorensen also coached Seattle’s secondary from 2017 to 2020.

Prior to coaching, Sorensen played safety in the NFL from 2001 to 2010. Sorensen played for the St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns. Sorensen played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies. Before moving to defense, Sorensen played quarterback for the Hokies. Future No. 1 overall pick Michael Vick took over for Sorensen at quarterback at Virginia Tech.

After DeMeco Ryans left the 49ers to join the Houston Texans as head coach, the 49ers hired outside the organization for defensive coordinator with the addition of Steve Wilks. Following one season of Wilks as defensive coordinator, the 49ers keep it internal for their next defensive coordinator.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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Report: 49ers interview Raiders safeties coach Gerald Alexander

Another candidate has emerged for the 49ers’ opening at defensive coordinator.

There is only one coordinator position open in the NFL and it remains with the San Francisco 49ers. Since moving on from Steve Wilks as defensive coordinator after one season with the team, the 49ers are without a defensive coordinator.

Multiple candidates have emerged for the 49ers’ opening with several coaches going through the interview process. The latest candidate to receive an interview is reportedly a coach on the Las Vegas Raiders’ staff.

According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, the 49ers have interviewed Raiders safeties coach Gerald Alexander.

Via @mattbarrows on Twitter:

The former 2007 second-round pick out of Bosie State played five seasons in the NFL before becoming a coach at the college level. In 2020, Brian Flores and the Miami Dolphins hired Alexander as the team’s defensive backs coach.

After coaching in Miami, Alexander was hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers as a defensive backs coach. During the current 2024 offseason, Alexander was hired as a defensive backs coach on Antonio Pierce’s staff with the Raiders.

Alexander joins Dave Merritt, Brandon Staley, Danel Bullocks, Nick Sorensen as candidates who have interviewed for the 49ers’ defensive coordinator position.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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