The 49ers have had four defensive coordinators in four years. They will have a fifth in five years after Robert Saleh left for the Titans’ head coaching job.
The team has Raheem Morris, Joe Woods and Gus Bradley for their vacancy, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s future is uncertain after he didn’t get the team’s head coaching job, so he could become a candidate for any team looking for a defensive coordinator.
The 49ers had DeMeco Ryans as their defensive coordinator in 2021-22 before he left to become the head coach of the Texans. Steve Wilks lasted only one season before his firing, and Nick Sorensen followed for only one season before he and the 49ers parted ways. The 49ers reunited with Saleh for the 2025 season after the Jets fired him as head coach.
Now, the defense will have another new leader.
Morris was the defensive coordinator of the Falcons (2020) and Rams (2021-23) before taking over as the Falcons’ head coach. He went 8-9 in each of his two seasons before his firing earlier this month.
Woods was defensive coordinator of the Broncos (2017-18), Browns (2020-22) and Saints (2023-24). He joined the Raiders in 2025 as the team’s pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach.
Bradley was defensive coordinator of the Seahawks (2009-12), Chargers (2017-20), Raiders (2021) and Colts (2022-24). He was head coach of the Jaguars from 2013-16, going 14-48.
