Coordinator firings continue around the NFL. The 49ers are moving on from special teams coordinator Brian Schneider, ESPN’s Nick Wagoner reports. 
Schneider has served as a special teams coordinator on a number of occasions at both the college and NFL levels. His longest stretch in the pro game came with the Seahawks from 2010-20. That spell included considerable success in the third phase, and he quickly landed his next opportunity during the 2021 hiring cycle with the Jaguars.
Schneider wound up stepping away from the Jacksonville posting for personal reasons, but again he did not need to wait long to find his next opportunity. The 53-year-old joined Kyle Shanahan‘s 49ers staff in 2022, leading the 49ers’ special teams for each of the past three seasons. Struggles in that area have now led to a change.
San Francisco’s special teams were a sore spot in 2024, a year in which few things in any phase went according to plan. Penalties and turnovers in the coverage and return game were a common theme for the campaign, as were the inconsistencies of second-year kicker Jake Moody. The former third-rounder had a strong rookie campaign, but this season he took a step back by connecting on only 24 of 34 field goal attempts. A rebound in 2025 will be a key goal for Moody in particular and several of San Francisco’s ST contributors in general.
It remains to be seen if Shanahan is planning any other changes on his staff. Ahead of the season finale, he offered a vote of confidence for first-year defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen, suggesting continuity will be in place on that side of the ball next year. With respect to special teams, however, changes will be coming this offseason.
The Dolphins will hire him and fire their current special teams guy
But wait, there’s more
This was a smart firing. This year the ST was horrible and cost us a game or two. Looked like he was wilted at the pressure of a win now team.
special teams been cheeks since kyle williams
Even then he was mid at best.
PLEASE take moody with you
Don’t draft kickers in the third round if you don’t want to be disappointed. Heck, don’t draft kickers at all.
Wasn’t he the Mets catcher in 2008?