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.