In making Steve Wilks a one-and-done as 49ers defensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan conducted a search that ended with a Nick Sorensen promotion. The eighth-year San Francisco HC’s unofficial search proved more interesting.
Shanahan reached out to Bill Belichick and attempted to gauge Steve Spagnuolo‘s interest in switching sides in this period’s premier AFC-NFC rivalry. Neither effort proved successful. Belichick is holding out hope for a 2025 HC job, as he conducts a media blitz this season, and the Chiefs extended Spagnuolo days after Super Bowl LVIII. The 49ers also reached out to one of Shanahan’s former Falcons coworkers, showing interest in Jets DC Jeff Ulbrich.
[Offseason In Review: San Francisco 49ers]
A 49ers linebacker from 2000-09, Ulbrich is from the Bay Area and worked with Shanahan from 2015-16 in Atlanta. However, Ulbrich needed permission to conduct an interview with the 49ers. Robert Saleh confirmed (via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Michael Silver) that would not happen.
“I don’t blame him,” Saleh said of Shanahan’s Ulbrich pursuit. “He should ask. The answer was no. But I’d ask, too.”
Ulbrich stayed in Atlanta throughout Dan Quinn‘s tenure, as Shanahan left after the Falcons’ 2016 Super Bowl season. He serves as the Jets’ defensive play-caller, though Saleh certainly operates as the lead defensive voice for the team. The Jets turned a corner on defense in Saleh’s second season, but as QB play played the lead role in dropping the 2022 and ’23 Jet teams under .500, no HC interviews have come. The Jets could not have denied Ulbrich permission to meet about a head coaching job, but since he was under contract for 2024, they could block the request.
“Absolutely honored,” Ulbrich said (via Silver) of Shanahan’s interest. “I have unbelievable, tremendous respect for Kyle, and that organization, and the team they’ve built, and the coaching staff that they have. So, what an honor it was. But at the same time, I am so connected [to the Jets].”
The Jets were not the only team to block a coordinator interview this offseason. The Panthers kept Ejiro Evero from meeting about other DC positions, while the Giants blocked a Seahawks Mike Kafka OC summit. Although Saleh would not let Ulbrich out of his contract, Silver adds the fourth-year Jets DC received an offseason raise.
Shanahan considered promoting Sorensen to replace DeMeco Ryans in 2023, but like Ryans back in his early days on San Francisco’s staff, the veteran HC viewed Sorensen as needing more developmental time. After two seasons with the team, Shanahan deemed Sorensen ready. The 49ers ranked third in scoring defense and fourth in DVOA, but Wilks’ unit struggled in the NFC playoffs. Despite holding the Chiefs without a touchdown — excluding a drive that began at the 49ers’ 16-yard line — that defense could not prevent a game-tying field goal to force overtime and could not hold serve with Kansas City defense in the extra period.
Sorensen, who spent eight seasons on Pete Carroll‘s Seahawks staff, will take a crack at maximizing the talent on the 49ers’ defense. The Jets will hope their offense does enough to complement their Saleh-Ulbrich defensive setup this season.
So basically the only time the Jets, Giants or Panthers can obtain a good grade on blocking is if it involves stopping team staffers from having a job interview.
It prevents sacks (of cash).