Kyle Shanahan confirms interviews with Brandon Staley and Nick Sorensen for the 49ers DC job

It sounds like those are the two finalists for the DC job, although Shanahan did mention three other potential candidates.

NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco reported that San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed via text message that the team had completed interviews with former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley and current passing game specialist on the Niners Nick Sorensen.

Shanahan also confirmed that 49ers defensive back coach Daniel Bullocks will interview for the position late this week. Those aren’t the only three candidates, as there will be “at least” two other coaches from the outside who will interview, too. Let the speculation begin.

So, without grasping at straws and talking yourself into Bill Belichick or Mike Vrabel, let’s stick with the candidates that we know.

Sorensen has been on the staff since 2022. He was initially hired as a defensive assistant before being promoted to his current role, which includes coaching the nickel position. Sorensen has held numerous titles within the previous five seasons, including special teams coordinator with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the defensive backs coach under Pete Caroll in Seattle. He was also a former NFL player from 2001 through 2010.

Bullocks, 40, celebrates his birthday on Wednesday. That’d be quite the birthday present and promotion. He’s been the Niners’ safety coach since 2019 and was an assistant defensive backs coach for two seasons prior. If there’s anybody familiar with what Kyle Shanahan is looking for, it’s the coach who has been here the entire time with Shanahan.

Staley had a unique path to the NFL. He coached Division III football as a defensive coordinator from 2013 through 2016, before joining Vic Fangio and the Chicago Bears in 2017. He followed Fangio to Denver in 2019, which was his third year as an outside linebackers coach.

Staley was a secondary coach during his stint at John Caroll. He was with Sean McVay as the Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator for one year in 2020. So, Shanahan should understand what he’s getting from Staley, considering his relationship with McVay.

Running a unique “gap and a half” defense helped the Rams finish first in points allowed in 2020, which led to Staley being hired as a head coach for the Los Angeles Chargers. But Staley’s stint as a head coach didn’t last long, thanks to fourth-down decisions and clock management. He did not make it through the 2023 season after giving up 63 points to the Las Vegas Raiders this past December.

But Shanahan is picturing what Staley can do with the current crop of talent on the 49ers and whether that can be maximized. We’ve seen glimpses of a dominant Niners defense. The first half of the Super Bowl is a prime example.

Kyle’s decision will come down to multiple factors, from in-game adjustments to how his personnel will be deployed and a handful of other facets that go into coaching.