According to Zack Rosenblatt, one of the options the 49ers considered for their defensive coordinator vacancy this offseason was Jets DC Jeff Ulbrich.
He adds the interest was mutual, as Ulbrich is from the Bay Area and played 10 years for the 49ers before getting into coaching and following Jets HC Robert Saleh to New York.
However, the Jets made it clear they would block any official interview request, as it would be a lateral move for Ulbrich to leave for the 49ers’ DC vacancy.
Rosenblatt says the only way the Jets would have considered it is if San Francisco was willing to surrender draft compensation.
The 49ers promoted nickel coach Nick Sorensen to defensive coordinator and also added former Chargers HC Brandon Staley to the staff instead. Ulbrich will stay in New York, where he’s been getting attention for leading one of the league’s better defensive units over the past few seasons.
It’s possible Ulbrich could garner head coaching interest from another team in the coming seasons, especially if the Jets end up being successful in 2024. New York would not be able to block that move.
Ulbrich, 47, was drafted by the 49ers in the third round out of Hawaii in 2000. After a ten-year playing career, all in San Francisco, Ulbrich entered the coaching ranks with the Seahawks as an assistant special teams coach.
Ulbrich later joined the Falcons in 2015 as a LB coach and rose to interim defensive coordinator in 2020. He joined the Jets as their defensive coordinator in 2021.
In 2023, the Jets ranked No. 3 in the NFL in total defense and No. 12 in scoring. They were also No. 2 in passing yards allowed and No. 25 in rushing yards allowed.
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