The San Francisco 49ers moved on from defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen after a disappointing 2024 season. Sorensen has now landed with the dreaded Dallas Cowboys and will serve as the team's special teams coordinator.
This news comes via NFL Network's Tom Peliserro who shared the news on the social media platform X:
The #Cowboys are expected to hire Nick Sorensen as their special teams coordinator, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 28, 2025
Sorensen spent last season as the #49ers defensive coordinator. But he has special teams experience, most recently with the #Jaguars in 2021. pic.twitter.com/QvKWzhciEV
2024 was Sorensen's only year as San Francisco's defensive coordinator. He came in to replace Steve Wilks, who was also one and done as the 49ers' DC in 2023, after there was a sense that bringing in an outside guy like Wilks was not the best fit.
Sorensen was familiar with the team's defensive system, but that did not change the fact that there was a lot to be desired from the team's defense in 2024. The defensive unit allowed the fourth most points of any NFL team in 2024 which is just not acceptable even when one gives Sorensen a little bit of slack because of the injuries on defense.
If one reads between the lines, it seems like key players on San Francisco's defense were not exactly thrilled with the job Sorensen was doing. Both Nick Bosa and Fred Warner were reluctant to fully endorse Sorensen following the season.
Now, the 49ers brought back Robert Saleh as their defensive coordinator, which should be a popular move with veterans like Bosa and Warner who both came into the league with Saleh as their defensive coordinator.
There was some talk that Sorensen could be reassigned and become the special teams coordinator for the 49ers given he has experience coaching special teams in the past, but staying in the organization probably would have been awkward for everyone involved. Plus, the Niners hired Brant Boyer as their new special teams coordinator.
We will have to see how Sorensen fares in his new role with Dallas. San Francisco and Dallas will not face each other in the 2025 regular season, but perhaps if the two teams are able to rebound and meet each other in the postseason Sorensen may try a trick play or two on special teams to try and exact revenge against his former team.
A fresh start was really needed for everyone. After the disaster that was the 2024 season for San Francisco, they needed to change things up, and bringing back Saleh does a lot for fan and locker room morale. We would say we hope Sorensen has success in his new role, but since he is going to be working for the Dallas, that would simply run counter to everything we stand for as 49ers fans.
Let's just say that this split was probably best for all parties involved.