For the second time in less than 11 months, the San Francisco 49ers are searching for a new defensive coordinator.
According to NBC Sports Bay Area, the 49ers have decided that Nick Sorensen will not return as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2025. However, this is not technically a firing yet, because the 49ers hope he is willing to do so. remain on the coaching staff in another role. Sorensen is the second coordinator to lose his job this week in San Francisco following Monday’s firing of special teams coach Brian Schneider.
Sorensen loses his job after just one season as defensive coordinator. During the 2024 offseason, Kyle Shanahan spent nearly a month searching for a new defensive coordinator before making the decision to promote Sorensen, who was a defensive passing game specialist, in 2023. Sorensen replaced Steve Wilks, who was fired in February 2024, shortly after San Francisco. Francisco’s 25-22 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.
During the 2024 season, the 49ers gave up just 317.4 yards per game, which ranked in the top 10 in the NFL. However, Sorensen’s team gave up 25.6 points per game, the fourth-worst figure in the league. The 49ers defense especially struggled in the final three games of the season, giving up an average of 38.7 points in losses to the Dolphins, Lions and Cardinals.
One of the reasons the 49ers likely decided to start searching for a new defensive coordinator is because there are so many attractive options. Let’s take a look at three of them that would make sense for San Francisco:
1. Jeff Ulbrich. Before promoting Sorensen to defensive coordinator in early 2024, the 49ers In fact, he tried to hire Ulbrich. away from the Jets. In February, Ulbrich was the defensive coordinator in New York when Shanahan tried to lure him away by offering him the 49ers defensive coordinator job. However, the deal fell through because then-Jets coach Robert Saleh vetoed it. Ulbrich named interim coach in New York after Saleh He was fired in October.. Hiring Ulbrich would make a lot of sense for multiple reasons. For one thing, Shanahan has some personal ties to Ulbrich. The two men were on the same coaching staff in Atlanta for two seasons (2015-16). Additionally, Ulbrich, who was drafted by San Francisco in 2000, spent his entire 10-year playing career with the 49ers.
2. Robert Saleh. Before being hired as the Jets’ head coach in 2021, Saleh spent four seasons as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator under Shanahan. Saleh, who was fired by the Jets in OctoberHe will soon be interviewing for the Jaguars head coaching position and could land a few more interviews during this coaching cycle. However, if he doesn’t land a head coaching job, then returning to San Francisco would make a lot of sense. During Saleh’s three and a half seasons as the Jets’ head coach, Ulbrich was his defensive coordinator the entire time, so the 49ers would probably be more than excited if they could hire either of them.
3. Gus Bradley. Former NFL head coach now available after being fired as defensive coordinator for the Colts this week. One advantage for Bradley is that he is familiar with the NFC West: As the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator for four seasons (2009-12), he was the architect of one of the NFL’s best defenses. Not only has Bradley been the defensive coordinator for four different teams (Seahawks, Raiders, Chargers, Colts), but he was also the head coach of the Jaguars for four seasons.
The unique thing about Shanahan is that he leaves no stone unturned. During their search for a defensive coordinator in 2024, called several big namesincluding Bill Belichick.
