Matt Maiocco revealed the 49ers likely aren't going to retain Brandon Staley and Nick Sorensen in any capacity in 2025.
San Francisco 49ers fans have been through quite a week.
In the wake of dismissing both special teams coordinator Brian Schneider and defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen, the Niners honed in on former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh to return to the Bay Area and pick up his old job as defensive coordinator.
But, it appeared Saleh was going to be a preferred candidate for the Jacksonville Jaguars' head-coaching gig, which led to a strong possibility San Francisco would have few other choices but to promote assistant head coach Brandon Staley, whom it brought on last year, to the defensive coordinator role.
For what it's worth, Staley received no interview offers during this offseason's coaching cycle.
Yet the 49ers bypassed that seemingly unlikable option when the Jags pivoted, opting to hire former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen instead of Saleh, thereby opening up the latter's return to head coach Kyle Shanahan's staff.
So, what's going to happen with Staley now?
Matt Maiocco says Brandon Staley and Nick Sorensen likely won't be retained by 49ers
Staley's role last season is a bit murky, but he primarily played a role in aiding Sorensen in gameday planning. Considering the Niners' defensive collapse toward the end of 2024, one can argue Staley's advice was ineffective.
Either way, NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco reported on Friday that San Francisco wasn't intending on keeping Staley in the building:
"I'm getting the impression that Brandon Staley, who is the only internal candidate for the 49ers' defensive coordinator job ... I'm hearing he probably will not be back," Maiocco said.
As for Sorensen, while he was ultimately dismissed from his role, Shanahan told reporters during his end-of-year presser the desire was to retain the one-and-done coordinator in some capacity. Some even felt Sorensen would be a candidate to replace Schneider.
However, Maiocco added "it was going to be too awkward a situation" for Sorensen to return in any capacity.
So, for those fans who were hoping both Staley and Sorensen would be shown the door after what happened last year, it appears those wishes are being granted.