Special teams was a disaster for the 49ers in 2024, so hiring Brant Boyer as the new coordinator can only point in one direction.
The San Francisco 49ers officially have a new defensive coordinator.
According to NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco, the Niners opted to onboard Brant Boyer as their new leader on this vital-but-overlooked third phase of the game, a move preceded by the expected and needed dismissal of former coordinator Brian Schneider.
Boyer, who worked under then-Jets head coach Robert Saleh, certainly used those ties in the wake of San Francisco hiring the latter as defensive coordinator last week.
Schneider's special teams in 2024 were downright atrocious, one of the many issues plaguing head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad en route to a 6-11 season.
Despite San Francisco's numerous issues, few would argue against a complete overhaul of special teams entering 2025, and Schneider's firing was about the closest thing to inevitable as possible.
DVOA ranks of 49ers special teams under Brian Schneider:
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) January 7, 2025
2022: #15
2023: #25
2024: #31 (only Titans were worse)
SF brought Schneider in to replace Richard Hightower, whose special teams unit ranked #26 in 2021
49ers special teams can only 'go up' under Brant Boyer
Fans need little to remember just how bad special teams were in 2024. On nearly a weekly basis, Schneider's group gave up some sort of disaster. Whether it was a blocked punt, not defending against fake punts, missed field goals, muffed returns or allowing massive gains on kicks, special teams appeared woefully underprepared on a regular basis.
Granted, Schneider wasn't wholly responsible for kicker Jake Moody's misses during the second half of the year, but the greater issues do fall on the former's shoulders.
Boyer, meanwhile, brings a solid résumé of coaching from his previous days with Gang Green, and the hope is that success can translate into pointing the 49ers' own special teams unit into the opposite direction. He started his coaching career in 2009 after a modest career as an NFL linebacker, serving as New York's special teams coordinator from 2016 through 2024.
Boyer spent nine seasons as the Jets special teams coordinator. Per the Niners: Boyer led a special teams unit that was T-2nd in total touchdowns (9), second in blocked punts (8) and tied-for-fifth in special teams points scored (63) and opponent kickoff return average (21.8) in… https://t.co/hBYZhUsYCh
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) January 27, 2025
Modestly speaking, it can't be much worse than 2024, so Boyer already has that going for him.
Even just some improvement, any improvement will be a welcomed change for Niners fans everywhere.