49ers To Interview Brandon Staley For DC But Likely To Hire External Option

49ers HC Kyle Shanahan mentioned the team making changes at defensive coordinator and said that Brandon Staley could be considered as an internal option.

Shanahan then added that an external option would be more likely.

“I feel there’s some options out there I feel like would be a better option for where we are as a team,” Shanahan said, via Nick Wagoner.

According to Matt Maiocco, Shanahan also said that the team’s former defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen remains under contract and is a candidate to fill the team’s opening for special teams coordinator.

Staley, 42 began his coaching career at Northern Illinois in 2006 and worked for several schools including St. Thomas, Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, Tennessee, James Madison, and John Carroll before taking his first NFL coaching job with the Bears in 2017.

Staley followed Vic Fangio to Denver after he was hired as their head coach. Stanley coached outside linebackers for three years before the Rams hired him as their defensive coordinator for the 2020 season. 

From there, the Chargers hired Staley as their head coach back in January of 2021. However, the Chargers opted to move on from Staley during the 2023 season. 

He drew interest from the Dolphins, Packers, and Rams for their defensive coordinator jobs, but didn’t land any of them this cycle. In 2024 he replaced fellow former Chargers HC Anthony Lynn as the 49ers assistant head coach.

Throughout his three-year tenure as head coach, Staley coached 47 games for the Chargers with a record of 24-23.

We will have more on the 49ers as it becomes available.