49ers Interview Gus Bradley, Raheem Morris, Joe Woods For DC Job
Robert Saleh‘s second exit as 49ers defensive coordinator will lead to the team’s fourth DC search in four years. The NFC West club has begun its interview process.
Gus Bradley, Raheem Morris and Joe Woods are the first interviewees, according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco. Bradley spent last season on the 49ers’ staff, and Kyle Shanahan called him an obvious candidate. Woods was on the Raiders’ staff in 2025, while Morris — fired as Falcons HC after two seasons — has come up in connection with multiple DC posts.
Morris remains a candidate to become the next Cardinals HC. Arizona lost one of its frontrunners — Anthony Campanile — this week, when the Jaguars’ DC opted to stay with his current team. But Mike LaFleur and Klint Kubiak also booked second HC interviews with the Cards. This does not necessarily mean Morris is out of the running, but like Saleh last year, the veteran staffer is in the mix for jobs on multiple tiers of the coaching spectrum.
Saleh was believed to be the Jags’ second choice behind Liam Coen, but he resided as the 49ers’ DC-in-waiting in the event that fell through. The 49ers had Saleh positioned as one of the NFL’s highest-paid coordinators, but he bolted after one season back in town to become the Titans’ head coach. Bradley, Morris and Woods are all veteran defensive play-callers. Each has been either a two-time HC (in Morris’ case) or had at least three runs as a DC.
A recent rumor indicated Morris may move to TV if he did not land another HC job, but it seems the former Buccaneers and Falcons sideline boss is indeed surveying options if he does not land the Arizona job. The Falcons fired Morris after two 8-9 seasons, overhauling their football operation around Matt Ryan. Morris was a successful DC en route to that Atlanta job, serving as the Rams’ defensive play-caller for three seasons and collecting a Super Bowl LVI ring during that time. This creates considerable familiarity for Shanahan, though Bradley may still be the candidate to beat.
The Seahawks, Chargers, Raiders and Colts have employed Bradley as DC since 2012. Although Bradley’s Jaguars HC tenure featured a historically low win percentage (.226 — fourth-worst all time), teams have continued to pursue him as a defensive play-caller. Shanahan calling Bradley the “obvious” choice — as the team may not cast a wide net here — bodes well for the current 49ers assistant HC. But Morris and Woods bring comparable experience, representing interesting external challengers.
Earning a Super Bowl ring as a Broncos DBs coach, Woods succeeded Wade Phillips as Denver’s DC in 2017. Woods later moved to the DC role in Cleveland and New Orleans, serving as Browns DC for three seasons and Saints DC for two. Woods served under defense-minded HCs in Denver and New Orleans, however, making his Cleveland stop the only time he was a team’s top defensive voice. The Browns did not rank lower than 21st on defense under Woods, rising to 13th in 2021, but the team fired him after an inconsistent 2022 season. Woods spent last season as the Raiders’ DBs coach/pass-game coordinator.
All three of these coaches have worked Shanahan. The current 49ers HC was in place as Falcons OC from 2015-16. The rare modern coach to serve as an assistant on both sides of the ball, Morris was a Falcons defensive assistant in 2015 and wideouts coach during Atlanta’s NFC championship 2016 slate. Woods served as the 49ers’ pass-game coordinator under Saleh in 2019, using the team’s Super Bowl LIV season as a springboard back to the DC level.
Browns DC Jim Schwartz Wants Out; 49ers Among Potential Suitors
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was among three finalists for the Browns‘ head coaching job before they announced their choice Wednesday. As of Monday, Schwartz was reportedly “gaining momentum” for a promotion, but the team instead passed on him and Rams assistant Nate Scheelhaase in favor of ex-Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. The decision isn’t sitting well with Schwartz.
Although Schwartz is still under contract with the Browns, he has informed those close to him that he wants out of Cleveland, according to Rapoport of NFL Network. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network and Jordan Schultz pass along similar information.
Schwartz’s contract status prevents him from taking another job, but a source told Schultz, “If it has to get ugly, Schwartz is someone who will be perfectly fine making it ugly.”
It probably won’t get to that point, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports says. In an ideal world for the Browns, Schwartz will stay in his current post. If Schwartz truly wants out, though, Jones doesn’t expect the Browns to turn this into a “hostage” situation. The sense in the building is that there’s “no chance” Schwartz will be back in 2026, Schultz adds.
If Schwartz does head elsewhere in 2026, San Francisco is among the teams that could pursue the 59-year-old, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. It’s a situation the 49ers are “undoubtedly monitoring,” Nick Wagoner of ESPN relays. Schwartz would replace former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who left to become the Titans’ head coach. Kyle Shanahan identified assistant head coach Gus Bradley as an “obvious” successor to Saleh last week, but with Schwartz potentially about to hit the market, that may change.
The 49ers are just one possibility for Schwartz, who will surely land on multiple teams’ radars if his divorce with the Browns goes through. While Schwartz had a largely unsuccessful run as the Lions’ head coach from 2009-13, he has long been one of the game’s top assistants on the defensive side. A longtime D-coordinator in Tennessee before he moved to Detroit, Schwartz has worked on defensive staffs with the Bills, Eagles (with whom he won Super Bowl LII), Titans and Browns since 2014.
The Browns finished No. 1 in total defense under Schwartz in 2023, his first year as their coordinator. The unit took steps backward last year, but it was fourth in total defense and 14th in points allowed in 2025. Defensive end Myles Garrett set the single-season sack record with 23, and he has made his affinity for Schwartz known in the past.
“(I) love Jim and I love playing for him,” Garrett told Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com earlier this month.
Garrett requested a trade in early February of last year, though he wound up signing a four-year, $160MM extension a month later. The Browns went on to win just five games in 2025, though, and Garrett made it clear toward the end of the season he’s not interested in a rebuild. Whether Garrett believes a potential Schwartz exit would damage the Browns’ chances of competing in 2026 is unknown, but we may hear his opinion soon enough.
Klay Kubiak Withdraws From HC Searches
Although he has been a candidate in multiple head coaching searches this month, 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak has removed himself from consideration, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Kubiak will remain in San Francisco in 2026.
The 37-year-old Kubiak drew attention from the Steelers and Raiders in this winter’s hiring cycle. The news of Kubiak’s withdrawal came shortly before the Steelers agreed to hire Mike McCarthy as their head coach. Meanwhile, the Raiders haven’t found Pete Carroll’s replacement yet, but we know it won’t be Kubiak.
There’s still a possibility Klay’s brother, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, will land the Las Vegas job. Both Kubiaks have interviewed for the position. The Bills, Browns and Cardinals are the only other teams with vacancies.
A former Colorado State quarterback, Klay Kubiak has garnered all of his NFL coaching experience with the 49ers. He joined the organization as a defensive quality control coach in 2021. Kubiak spent the next two years as the 49ers’ assistant quarterbacks coach before working as their offensive passing game specialist in 2024.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan promoted Kubiak to offensive coordinator in 2025, a year in which the 49ers overcame a rash of key injuries to finish seventh in yards and 10th in scoring. Backup quarterback Mac Jones started in place of an injured Brock Purdy eight times, tight end George Kittle missed six games, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall sat out eight, and fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk didn’t play at all.
Shanahan continued as the 49ers’ primary play-caller during their injury-ravaged 2025. Nevertheless, Kubiak is important enough to the coaching staff that Shanahan would block other teams from hiring him as an offensive coordinator.
“He’s our offensive coordinator, so I don’t know, why would you let him be somebody else’s offensive coordinator,” Shanahan said last week.
For his part, Kubiak prefers to continue working with Shanahan, according to Russini. Shanahan has been the 49ers’ head coach since 2017, but he has only given the OC title to Kubiak and Mike McDaniel. While McDaniel held the role for just one season before he left to become the Dolphins’ head coach in 2022, Kubiak is now poised for a multiyear stint. With another productive season in 2026, Kubiak may reemerge as a name to watch during next winter’s hiring cycle.
49ers Don’t Expect To Trade Mac Jones
Then in the market for a capable backup to starting quarterback Brock Purdy, the 49ers brought in Mac Jones on a two-year, $7MM contract last March. The move paid off in 2025 for San Francisco, which earned a playoff berth despite turning to Jones as its starter for almost half the season.
With injuries holding Purdy out of eight games, Jones helped the 49ers to a 5-3 mark during a 12-win campaign for the club. Across 11 appearances, Jones posted career highs in completion percentage (69.6), yards per attempt (7.4), passer rating (97.4) and QBR (62.9). The 27-year-old fired 13 touchdowns against six interceptions along the way.
Before teaming up with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, Jones endured a couple of down years as a Patriots starter and a Jaguars backup. The 15th overall pick in 2021, Jones finished second to Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. The Alabama product also helped lead the Patriots to the playoffs then, but the team peaked under Jones that season.
After back-to-back subpar years, the Patriots sold low on Jones in sending him to the Jags for a sixth-round pick in 2024. While logging seven starts in place of an injured Trevor Lawrence in his lone year in Jacksonville, Jones’ struggles continued.
Departing Jacksonville for San Francisco led to Jones’ revival under Shanahan, making it conceivable that quarterback-needy teams could inquire about his availability this offseason. Bringing in Jones and his $2.81MM base salary may be an attractive option for clubs seeking a veteran QB who can at least compete for a starting job. As you’d expect, though, the 49ers’ public stance is that Jones will remain in their uniform in 2026.
On the potential of dealing Jones, Shanahan stated (via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area): “As any player on our team, including myself and John (Lynch), you always listen to people and trade offers, but we’re also not into getting rid of good players. So, I’d be very surprised if Mac wasn’t around us next year.”
Lynch echoed Shanahan’s sentiments, adding, “Like Kyle said, you always listen, but I know we’re a better football team with Mac Jones on our roster.”
While Jones’ presence benefited the 49ers in 2025, Purdy is locked in as their starter. With that in mind, an offseason trade involving the 49ers’ clear-cut backup may be on the table if a competitive enough offer comes along. A mid-November report identified Jones as a “prime trade candidate,” and it’s worth noting that he turned down better offers last March before latching on with the 49ers. It’s unknown which teams lost out on Jones in free agency then, but perhaps they’ll circle back on the trade market this year.
Coaching Rumors: Cardinals, Kingsbury, Webb, 49ers, Falcons, Petzing, Lions, Fraley, Jaguars, Commanders
As the Steelers and Bills’ searches get underway, the Browns, Cardinals and Raiders’ processes have shifted into the background a bit. Two candidates (Mike McDaniel, Jesse Minter) pulled out of the Cleveland search, while Kevin Stefanski exited the Vegas derby. No known candidates have interviewed for the Arizona job and withdrawn, but insider Jordan Schultz still expects the NFC West team to have a difficult time attracting a quality candidate. Citing an organizational reputation in paying lower-end money to coaches, as evidenced most recently by Jonathan Gannon‘s bottom-tier HC salary, Schultz also points to the Cardinals’ standing in the NFC West as a deterrent to candidates. The division produced three playoff teams this season, and the Cards have not booked a postseason berth since 2021. They also carry a significant QB decision, with some of Kyler Murray‘s 2026 money guaranteed. It is not a lock Murray will be traded or released, but the next HC has a sketchier path to landing a successor due to this draft’s makeup.
Here is the latest from the coaching carousel:
- The Cardinals’ three-year OC, Drew Petzing, landed on his feet by winning the race for the Lions‘ play-calling post. Petzing can thank former Vikings coworker Hank Fraley, in no small part, for this job. Detroit’s O-line coach made a recommendation for Petzing, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, who adds the Lions’ push to keep Fraley — an OC candidate last year — made his word valuable on this year’s carousel. The Lions wanted some familiarity in their hire, Breer adds. While Petzing has never worked with Dan Campbell, his past with Fraley helped. Detroit was burned by familiarity last year, as John Morton‘s second Lions stint did not work out. But they will try their hand with Arizona’s previous play-caller (and ex-Vikings Mike Zimmer-era staffer).
- Jeff Ulbrich intends to retain some of his staffers under Stefanski. The second-year Falcons DC appears set on keeping DBs coach Justin Hood. The 49ers requested a meeting with Hood for a high-ranking job, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, but the Falcons blocked it. (This would not have been for a DC job, as the Falcons could not block that.) Hood, 39, has only been in the NFL since 2021 and was not an Ulbrich hire. Hood was part of Jimmy Lake‘s defensive staff in 2024; prior to that, he was a three-year quality control coach with the Packers. But he is now an Atlanta priority.
- Davis Webb remains in the Raiders’ HC search and has been connected to the Bills, impressing in interviews. The third-year Broncos QBs coach cannot complete another interview until next week, but a potential pairing with an OC has come up. Webb linking up with Kliff Kingsbury has circulated as a possibility, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes. This would be interesting given the experience disparity, as Kingsbury was Webb’s coach at Texas Tech. Webb, 30, played under Kingsbury, 46, for three seasons in Lubbock before transferring to Cal in 2016. Kingsbury is no longer in the running for any HC jobs but has been linked to the Ravens and Titans’ OC posts.
- The Commanders are making another key promotion on their offensive staff. Darnell Stapleton, part of Dan Quinn‘s first two staffs, is moving up to the offensive line coach position, ESPN’s Dan Graziano tweets. Stapleton, 40, spent the past two years as Washington’s assistant O-line coach. That was his first NFL job, having come to the NFL after two seasons as Florida’s O-line coach. Stapleton has worked closely with new OC David Blough since coming to D.C., per Graziano. Shane Toub is moving into Stapleton’s former position. The son of longtime Chiefs ST coordinator Dave Toub, Shane spent the past three seasons as a quality control staffer. Dan Quinn kept him from Ron Rivera‘s final staff and is now promoting him to a position coaching role.
- The Jaguars are hiring Dolphins cornerbacks coach Mathieu Araujo, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz tweets. Among the Jets’ DC candidates, Araujo evidently will not land that job. Araujo reunites with former Dolphins coworker Anthony Campanile, though the Jags’ current DC is still up for the Cardinals’ HC job. Araujo was on all four McDaniel Miami staffs, three of those including Campanile.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/22/26
Today’s reserve/futures deals:
New York Giants
San Francisco 49ers
- TE Hayden Rucci
Leal spent four seasons with the Steelers, starting six games over his first two. The 2022 third-round pick only saw action in nine Pittsburgh games over the past two campaigns. He has one career sack. Leal has, however, offered some versatility, seeing regular time on the edge and at defensive tackle in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 scheme.
Lynch: Brandon Aiyuk Done With 49ers
The 49ers not only were missing three first-team All-Pro talents — George Kittle, Nick Bosa, Fred Warner — to close the season, but they played the full 2025 slate without former second-team All-Pro Brandon Aiyuk. A divorce is now imminent.
Long expected to move on from the talented wideout, the 49ers will soon make it official. John Lynch said Wednesday (via ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner) “it is safe to say” Aiyuk has played his final snap with the franchise.
Aiyuk landed on the team’s reserve/left squad list weeks ago, after Kyle Shanahan said the mercurial pass catcher has been “extremely distant” since his October 2024 ACL tear. Aiyuk’s approach to rehabbing that injury led the 49ers to take the ultra-rare step of voiding his future guarantees; that happened back in July, though it was not known until November. This came after Aiyuk’s return timetable continued to be pushed back, burning a full season — Aiyuk’s age-27 campaign — for a highly valued player.
After five seasons rolling out the Aiyuk-Deebo Samuel combo, the 49ers will separate from both in a two-offseason span. Although no money is guaranteed beyond 2025, Aiyuk will still tag the 49ers with nearly $30MM in cap penalties due to void years and option bonuses included in his four-year, $120MM contract. This comes after the Samuel trade tagged San Francisco with a receiver-record $34.12MM in dead cap. The Samuel money is off the books now, however, since that trade came before June 1 of last year.
When Aiyuk signed his $30MM-per-year deal, he locked in $45MM at signing. A $26.15MM 2026 guarantee vested in April 2025, but the 49ers have voided that. It is extraordinarily rare for a non-suspension to void guarantees. Aiyuk’s injury and disappearance will obviously hurt his value for 2026. Although interested parties will emerge, anything close to a $30MM-per-year deal appears unlikely. It might take a “prove it” pact, and going into an age-28 season, Aiyuk is running short on time to move back into a commanding leverage position. It remains strange he proceeded as he did, with Lynch also expressing confusion (via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur) at the wideout’s decisions.
Furthermore, Shanahan said (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows) Aiyuk ended all communication by not returning any phone calls from 49ers staffers. The veteran coach said he had not seen that happen in 22 years in the business. While Aiyuk may not have torched his value on a Diontae Johnson level, it remains befuddling he proceeded as he did given the guaranteed money in his contract.
The Commanders and Steelers are believed to be interested parties, though the report of Pittsburgh interest came before it was known Mike Tomlin would resign. Tomlin represented the driving force behind the Aiyuk-Steelers near-trade in 2024. Aiyuk would have signed off on a Washington trade to reunite with college teammate Jayden Daniels, but the Commanders did not express significant interest in a trade/extension.
A release is expected, though a late-November report indicated a trade is not entirely off the table. It would still come as a surprise. If the 49ers designate Aiyuk as a post-June 1 cut, the team could save more than $6MM in cap space while incurring barely $8MM in dead money this year. That would seemingly be the way this ends, considering the six-year veteran’s value drop since his severe knee injury.
Aiyuk did not suffer a clean ACL tear, and the 49ers did not expect him back until midway through this season. As recently as early December, the team was hoping for a return. But nothing happened. The two-time 1,000-yard receiver will be looking to bounce back with another team, and an open-market trip would be interesting.
The 49ers seeing Ricky Pearsall miss eight games and Jauan Jennings on track for free agency will make receiver a central need in 2026. The team would like to re-sign Jennings, Shanahan said (via Tafur). Jennings, 28, was not as effective as 2024, when he totaled 975 yards. That drove a push for a new contract, and the 49ers did provide incentives as a compromise. Jennings caught 55 passes for 643 yards, though he did finish with a career-high nine touchdown grabs. He did cash in a $600K incentive for playoff participation, CBS Sports’ Joel Corry tweets.
San Francisco has Pearsall and Demarcus Robinson in the picture at receiver for 2026, necessitating multiple additions to Brock Purdy‘s weaponry cadre — especially with Kittle rehabbing an Achilles tear.
Kyle Shanahan: Gus Bradley ‘Obvious’ Choice For 49ers’ DC Job
The 49ers are without a defensive coordinator after Robert Saleh became the Titans’ head coach on Monday, but it doesn’t appear they’ll go outside the organization for a replacement. Speaking with reporters Wednesday, head coach Kyle Shanahan “all but said” assistant HC Gus Bradley will take over for Saleh, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Asked if he’d cast a wide net for Saleh’s successor, Shanahan revealed: “I’m not going to say it’s a real wide net. Gus is the obvious one to everyone. And (he) is to us, too. Gus would be the main internal candidate. I feel very fortunate to get Gus and feel great about that.”
While it appears the 49ers will promote Bradley, the Rooney Rule requires them to hold in-person interviews with two minority candidates before a decision is made. Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz may also emerge as a possibility for the 49ers, Nick Wagoner of ESPN notes. Schwartz is in the running to become the Browns’ head coach, but even if that doesn’t happen, they’d like to retain him.
If Shanahan ultimately chooses Bradley, it would put the 59-year-old in position to serve as a D-coordinator for the fifth time in his career. Bradley previously led defenses for the Seahawks (2009-12), Chargers (2017-20), Raiders (2021) and Colts (2022-24). His greatest success came in Seattle during the early stages of the “Legion of Boom” era. The Seahawks boasted the top scoring defense in Bradley’s last season on the job, but he left a year before they won the Super Bowl.
Bradley departed Seattle to become the head coach of the Jaguars, but it didn’t go well. The Jags posted a disastrous 14-48 record under Bradley from 2013-16, and he hasn’t gotten a second HC chance since then. Notably, Saleh was on Bradley’s staff in Jacksonville. He also worked under Bradley in Seattle.
The familiarity between Saleh and Bradley suggests the 49ers’ defense would transition smoothly from the former to the latter in 2026. In Saleh’s lone year on the job, San Francisco’s defense finished 13th in yards and 20th in points. A rash of injuries – including to the unit’s two best players, linebacker Fred Warner and edge rusher Nick Bosa – prevented the group from reaching its full potential.
A dislocated and broken ankle ended Warner’s season in Week 6, three weeks after Bosa tore his ACL. Warner underwent surgery in October, but the four-time first-team All-Pro should have a clean bill of health in 2026. Warner said he won’t require any offseason procedures, per Wagoner.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/21/26
Today’s reserve/futures deals:
Atlanta Falcons
- TE Joshua Simon
Chicago Bears
- TE Qadir Ismail
Las Vegas Raiders
- LS Alex Ward
Los Angeles Rams
- S Nate Valcarcel
Miami Dolphins
- LB Seth Coleman
Philadelphia Eagles
- TE Jaheim Bell
San Francisco 49ers
Falcons Add James Liipfert, Ian Cunningham, Josh Williams To GM Interview List
With the Falcons’ search for a new president of football operations and head coach complete, the team is now looking for their next general manager.
Three names have been added to the list: Texans assistant GM James Liipfert (via The Athletic’s Dianna Russini), Bears assitant GM Ian Cunningham (via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer), and 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). That trio joins Steelers assistant GM Andy Weidl as Atlanta’s first four candidates.
Liipfert got his NFL start with the Patriots. He spent nine years in New England in various scouting roles before joining the Texans as their new director of college scouting in 2019. Liipfert began to move up the chain after Nick Caserio, a former Patriots colleague, was installed as the Texans’ general manager. Liipfert became the assistant director of player personnel in 2022, replaced ‘assistant’ with ‘executive’ in his title the following year, and moved up to assistant GM last June. His job, however, has largely stayed the same. He manages the Texans’ college scouting operations and has therefore played a huge role in building their current roster, which is powered by homegrown players.
Cunningham interviewed for the Falcons’ football operations job that went to Matt Ryan. It never seemed like anyone but Ryan would secure that position, but Cunningham did enough in his first meeting with the team that he is now under consideration for general manager. He interviewed for several jobs over the last few years, including the Jaguars’ and Titans’ GM jobs last offseason. He was thought to be a finalist for those jobs, as well as the Commanders’ vacancy in 2024. Like Liipfert, he has spent his career largely focused on scouting.
Williams also interviewed for what is now Ryan’s job and was a finalist for the Jaguars’ opening last year. He was also a finalist in the Dolphins’ search for a new GM this year, though Miami went with Jon-Eric Sullivan instead. In San Francisco, Williams oversees pro and college scouting and also assists in contract negotiations.
It is clear that the Falcons are looking to draft a general manager with a background in scouting. There are a number of young stars in Atlanta, but almost all of them were secured with first- or second-round picks. In the third round and beyond, former GM Terry Fontenot struggled to find players who could become starters while still on their rookie contract. His successor would look to correct that pattern to add more depth and build around players like Drake London and Bijan Robinson.