49ers Rumors: Former Chargers HC Brandon Staley Linked to DC Job After Wilks Firing

Brandon Staley, who was fired as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers in December, may not be out of the NFL for long.

Some league sources believe that Staley will be hired as the next defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, according to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.

There have not yet been any reports of San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan setting up an interview with Staley, Florio noted.

The 49ers are seeking a replacement for former defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who was fired following the team's Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Staley previously interviewed with the Rams for their open defensive coordinator position but lost out to an internal candidate in former pass rush coordinator Chris Shula.

Staley also reportedly interviewed with the Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins for open defensive coordinator positions this offseason.

Previously, Staley served as defensive coordinator in Los Angeles for the 2020 season. Under his leadership the Rams ranked first in the NFL both in total defense (281.9 yards allowed per game) and points (18.5 points allowed per game).

Those rankings plummeted under Staley's tenure as head coach. The Chargers ranked 23rd, 20th and 29th in the NFL in total defense in each of the team's three seasons under Staley, respectively.

He was fired after a 5-9 start to the 2023 season, finishing out his Rams tenure with a 24-24 record as head coach.

Despite his struggles as a head coach, the 49ers could be hoping to build on Staley's previous success as a coordinator.

Although San Francisco successfully limited opponents to just 17.5 points per game in 2023, that number rose to 25.7 in three postseason contests.

After the 49ers' overtime loss in the Super Bowl, defensive end Nick Bosa said the team "could have been more prepared" for scrambles by Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Shanahan said the 49ers made the decision to fire Wilks three days later because "a different direction was what's best for our organization."

Florio believes Shanahan could consider Staley the man to lead the 49ers in that different direction, describing Staley as someone who has "got the flexibility" to use the Cover Three defense favored in San Francisco.