If familiarity and continuity guide the San Francisco 49ers’ search for a new defensive coordinator, several candidates naturally rise to the top.
With Robert Saleh departing to become the head coach in Tennessee, head coach Kyle Shanahan — an offensive-minded play caller — is tasked with filling a crucial role ahead of what could be a pivotal season. The 49ers are expected to welcome back several key contributors from injury, adding optimism and pressure to get the hire right.
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There are a few clear options Shanahan could turn to. Gus Bradley is one of the most obvious, having spent last season on the 49ers’ staff as assistant head coach of defense. Bradley also served as the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive coordinator from 2009 to 2012, a stint that included Saleh on his coaching staff.
Raheem Morris is another familiar name. Most recently, Morris served as head coach of the struggling Atlanta Falcons, but his best work was as Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator during their Super Bowl-winning 2021 season. Morris and Shanahan crossed paths early in their careers with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the early 2000s, later working together in Washington in 2012 and 2013, and again in Atlanta from 2015 to 2016.
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A potential wild-card candidate is Daniel Bullocks, who has been with the organization for all nine of Shanahan’s seasons as head coach. Promoting Bullocks would represent a logical next step for a coach who has steadily climbed the ranks. He began as an assistant defensive backs coach in 2017, serving in that role for two seasons, before being promoted to safeties coach from 2019 to 2022. After one year as defensive backs coach, he added defensive passing game specialist to his title, further expanding his responsibilities.
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