The San Francisco 49ers are in the process of finding a new defensive coordinator following Robert Saleh's departure to become the head coach of the Tennessee Titans. According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, the 49ers have already interviewed at least three candidates for the role: former Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, Las Vegas Raiders pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Joe Woods, and 49ers assistant head coach Gus Bradley.
Source: Thus far, the 49ers have interviewed Raheem Morris, Joe Woods and Gus Bradley for their vacant defensive coordinator position.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) January 29, 2026
Head coach Kyle Shanahan recently confirmed that Bradley is the top internal candidate, while emphasizing that the organization intends to conduct a comprehensive search.
"I'm going to say it's a real wide net, but Gus is the obvious one to everyone, and is to us, too," Shanahan said last week. "Gus would be the main internal candidate. I feel very fortunate to get Gus, and great about that. But also, we are going to go through the whole process."
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Bradley brings an extensive NFL résumé. He served as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2013 to 2016 and has held defensive coordinator roles with the Indianapolis Colts (2022–2024), Las Vegas Raiders (2021), Los Angeles Chargers (2017–2020), and Seattle Seahawks (2009–2012).
Morris most recently spent two seasons as the Atlanta Falcons' head coach. Before that, he was the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams from 2021 to 2023 and previously held the same position with Atlanta in 2020.
Woods has significant experience as a defensive coordinator as well, having served in that role with the New Orleans Saints (2023–2024), Cleveland Browns (2020–2022), and Denver Broncos (2017–2018). There is familiarity between Shanahan and Woods, who spent one season with the 49ers in 2019 as their defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator.
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