After a season lacking victories, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan lacked accountability Wednesday.
During a season-ending news conference that was held one day after Shanahan fired defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen and special teams coordinator Brian Schneider, Shanahan dismissed the idea that his past decisions had played a role in the dismissal of two coaches following a 6-11 season.
Shanahan, who fired Steve Wilks in February, is the first 49ers head coach in at least 50 years to fire defensive coordinators in back-to-back seasons. Does he need to re-examine what might have gone wrong in the process?
"I don't believe anything went wrong in the process," Shanahan said.
Shanahan has also seemed to publicly downplay the importance of special teams during his eight-season tenure. He has said more than once that he didn't want to try to win games with special teams and the focus was on making sure those units weren't the reasons for losses.
Asked in the aftermath of Schneider's firing whether he needed to change his approach after not taking a "real detailed interest" in special teams, Shanahan responded with a question: "What do you mean by I don't take interest in special teams?"
Seeming to sense Shanahan wasn't amused, general manager John Lynch, sitting to Shanahan's right, interjected and provided an 81-word response.
"Let me help Kyle there," Lynch said. "I would tell you, Kyle spends an inordinate amount of time with all phases of our team. Special teams is extremely important ..."
When it comes to his team's defense, Shanahan has had important hiring decisions the previous two offseasons. And neither has worked out.
Shanahan correctly noted Wednesday that he hired his past two defensive coordinators under less-than-ideal circumstances. In both instances, the process didn't start until the 49ers had completed deep postseason runs and the pool of candidates was limited.
"It's a little bit harder in February," Shanahan said.
Still, there was no acknowledgement that Shanahan could have done better under such adversity.
In 2023, Shanahan hired Wilks despite his lack of a background in the 49ers' 4-3 defense. Shanahan said after firing Wilks last year that Wilks' lack of experience with their system was why he had trouble tying all three levels of their defense together and "it just ended up not being the right fit."
A year later Shanahan focused on hiring someone familiar with their scheme. He promoted Sorensen, who had never been a defensive coordinator, and appeared to account for his inexperience by also hiring former Rams defensive coordinator and Chargers head coach Brandon Staley to assist him.
Staley had the title of assistant head coach/defense along with duties that made it sound as if he was, in effect, the co-coordinator.
"Brandon will be a big part of the game plans," Shanahan said in March, "and implementing a lot of our defense during the offseason and during each (game) week, preparing for teams."
Added Shanahan: "Nick's going to call the plays. That's the main job of the defensive coordinator is calling the defense."
Whatever the division of labor, the unique arrangement didn't work. Sorensen was dismissed after the 49ers allowed the fourth most points (436) in the NFL after they allowed the third fewest (298) under Wilks.
Meanwhile, Schneider lost his job after his units also struggled mightily. And the near-weekly breakdowns inspired a question to Shanahan in October about his do-no-harm approach to special teams. Asked why he didn't want to make them as impactful as possible, Shanahan said he wanted his team to be so strong on offense and defense that special teams could play a secondary role.
"You'd like to build a team to where you don't feel you have to return a kick, a punt or have a fake kick or a fake punt - you don't have to rely on something like that to get a win," Shanahan said.
Shanahan explained his philosophy when the 49ers were 2-3 and still capable of salvaging their season. Three months later, after a 6-11 season and the firing of Schneider, he was more defensive Wednesday.
He began by noting the 49ers' past investments in special teams, which includes signing All-Pro special teamer George Odum and using a third-round pick on kicker Jake Moody in recent seasons. And he suggested firing Schneider reflected how much he values special teams.
"Making special teams changes is why special teams is important to me," Shanahan said. "Because we do work at it, but it wasn't good enough this year. I don't put that just on Brian, by any means. I mean, losing your kicker. Losing your punter. When injuries do affect the roster ... what it did affect the most was special teams. And I think that was unfair to Brian and a tough situation to put him in. But I do think it's an avenue we can get better in."
More For You
49ers' oft-injured Christian McCaffrey angry and eager to rise, again
The past year for 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was a microcosm of his...
What 49ers QB Brock Purdy possesses that commands his teammates' respect
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will never wow anyone with his height or arm...
It's possible the 49ers can improve on special teams if Shanahan allows his next coordinator more freedom to take the type of calculated risk that hurt the 49ers in 2024.
Shanahan noted Wednesday the 49ers' season went sideways starting with narrow losses to the Rams (Week 3), Cardinals (Week 5) and Seahawks (Week 11) in which they squandered leads.
It began with the 27-24 defeat to the Rams in which the 49ers led 14-0 in the second quarter and were about to get the ball back after making a third-down stop. However, Los Angeles called a successful fake punt on 4th-and-6 from their 43-yard line, a trick play that led to a touchdown and changed the game's complexion.
"That's where I thought we had a chance to run away with it - not give them any hope," Shanahan said after the game. "That (fake punt) gave them a lot of hope. It got them back in it."
Rams head coach Sean McVay called for that fake punt in a game in which he was without Pro Bowl wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, understanding that his undermanned offense needed an assist. However, Shanahan, who wants to win on the strength of his offense and defense, didn't make a similar special-teams call during a season in which both his offense and defense was weakened by attrition.
On the topic of injuries, Shanahan said Sorensen's inexperience was a reason he had trouble adjusting when key players were out of the lineup. But Shanahan didn't acknowledge that it was his decision to promote Sorensen to a role for which he evidently wasn't prepared. And Shanahan didn't seem to be aware, when it came to his stance on special teams, that his diminished team might have benefited from an altered approach.
Given the performance of the 49ers' defense and special teams, Shanahan probably wasn't wrong to dismiss his two coordinators. If he doesn't examine his own role in those firings? That would be a mistake.
