NFL News: Kyle Shanahan has a new defensive coordinator that 49ers fans may not like

After losing the 2024 Super Bowl, the San Francisco 49ers are making big changes. Now, Kyle Shanahan is very close from closing a deal with a controversial coach to be the team’s new defensive coordinator.

The 49ers had a rough ending of their 2023 NFL season. In the final game of the campaign, San Francisco was defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs, losing another Vince Lombardi trophy to the AFC West club.

This upset has brought many changes to The Bay. A few days after the big game, Kyle Shanahan’s staff suffered the departure of two assistant coaches, but now he’s close to hiring a new one to fill the defensive coordinator vacancy.

Report: Brandon Staley is set to join Kyle Shanahan’s coaching staff

A day after Kyle Shanahan stated that his coaching staff wouldn’t see any departures, two of his assistants left the team. Steve Wilks was fired as the club’s defensive coordinator following a poor performance in the Super Bowl against the Chiefs.

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With Wilks’ exit, there’s a vacancy for the defensive coordinator role in San Francisco. Several rumors abound regarding who will take the job, but now it seems like one option is emerging as the frontrunner in this race.

According to ProFootballTalk, the San Francisco 49ers have selected Brandon Staley as their new defensive coordinator. There’s a strong feeling in the league that the team will anounce his arrival in the upcoming days.

The news has surprised everybody. Staley recently departed from the head coaching job at the Los Angeles Chargers after an unsuccessful three-year tenure. Despite having great weapons available, he was unable to compete in the AFC West, ending with a disappointing 24-24 record.

Kyle Shanahan head coach of the San Francisco 49ers during the 2023 NFL regular season.

On social media, 49ers fans didn’t have a great reaction to the news. On X, several users started questioning the team’s decision, as Staley had a terrible year as head coach during the season in which he called the defensive plays with the Chargers

Which other defensive coordinators could be available for the 49ers?

As mentioned earlier, it seems like Brandon Staley is the first option for the 49ers to take the job of defensive coordinator. He would return to that role after four years, having previously led the Chargers’ defense in 2020.

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However, for some fans, there’s a name that no one is talking about: Bill Belichick. He’s a mastermind defensive coach, and as no team has hired him as head coach, there’s a chance for him to become a DC once again. Should the 49ers pursue him?