Coach Kyle Shanahan has completed two formal interviews for the 49ers’ defensive coordinator position and told NBC Sports Bay Area in a text message Monday that he “should wrap everything up this week.”
Shanahan said the 49ers have completed interviews with former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley and 49ers defensive passing game specialist Nick Sorensen.
The impetus for this came when Steve Wilkes was fired as defensive coordinator after just one season with the 49ers. Wilkes replaced DeMeco Ryans, who was named head coach of the Houston Texans.
Shanahan confirmed that 49ers defensive backs coach Daniel Brocks is scheduled to interview for the vacant position later this week.
The 49ers will likely interview at least two other coaches from outside the building later this week, but Shanahan did not say what other outside coaching candidates are being considered.
NFL rules require clubs to interview at least two minority candidates for every coordinator position.
Shanahan’s search for a defensive coordinator is in its second week since he informed Wilkes of his decision to dissolve the union on February 14th.
The move came three days after the 49ers lost 25-22 in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl III.
“We felt very strongly that this was the best decision for our organization,” Shanahan explained while announcing the decision. “And it was something I didn’t want to make, but given that I thought a different direction was best for the organization, it was something I had to do.”
Shanahan and the 49ers coaching staff will not be attending the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this week. General manager John Lynch and the scouting department will attend the combine, while coaches remain in Santa Clara to continue their work.
Staley, 41, was fired after compiling a 24-25 record in three seasons as the Chargers’ head coach, including 0-1 in the playoffs.
The Chargers hired Staley in 2020 after just one season with the Los Angeles Rams as Sean McVay’s defensive coordinator.
Staley’s only previous NFL coaching experience was coaching outside linebackers in Chicago (2017-18) and Denver (2019).
Sorensen, 45, originally joined the 49ers’ staff in 2022 as a defensive assistant. He was promoted to defensive passing game specialist/nickelback last year.
Sorensen spent last season as the special teams coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Prior to his time with the Jaguars, Sorensen spent eight years on Pete Carroll’s staff with the Seattle Seahawks as a special teams assistant (2013-16), secondary coach (2017-19), and secondary coach and nickel specialist (2020). spent the season.
Brocks, 40, has been with the 49ers since Shanahan joined them in 2017. He started as an assistant defensive backs coach for two seasons and moved to safeties coach from 2019 to 2022 before taking his current position.
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