Kyle Shanahan has added another former head coach to his staff.
This time it’s Matt Eberflus, who served as the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator last year and was 14-32 in 46 games as head coach of the Chicago Bears from 2022-24.
The hire was first reported by NFL Network and confirmed by a league source.
Eberflus replaces Gus Bradley, who was a candidate to become the 49ers’ defensive coordinator after Robert Saleh accepted the head coaching job of the Tennessee Titans. Bradley was head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2013-16.
When Shanahan hired Raheem Morris instead, Bradley went with Saleh to become defensive coordinator in Tennessee. Morris was head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2024-25, was interim head coach of Atlanta for 11 games in 2020 and head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009-11.
Eberflus’ title is assistant head coach defense, the same as Bradley’s. In 2024, that role was filled by Brandon Staley, who had been head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. Steve Wilks, a former head coach in Arizona, was the 49ers defensive coordinator for one season in 2023.
Eberflus, 55, was the defensive coordinator in Indianapolis from 2018-21. The Colts ranked in the top 10 in takeaways in each of his four years there and will likely be a primary focus of his job with the 49ers.
In Dallas, Eberflus’ defense struggled after the trade of Micah Parsons to Green Bay. The Cowboys ranked 30th in total defense, 32nd in scoring defense, 32nd in passing defense and 23rd in rushing defense. The finished with just six takeaways, all interceptions.
The 49ers, according to NBC Sports Bay Area,have also promoted Cameron Clemmons to tight ends coach. Clemmons replaces Brian Fleury, who was hired as offensive coordinator by the Seattle Seahawks. Also on board is Jerry Gray, a defensive backs coach who worked under Morris in Atlanta. He replaces Daniel Bullocks, who was hired by the Green Bay Packers.
Leave a Reply