The San Francisco 49ers made the first offseason change to their coaching staff.
ESPN’s Nick Wagoner on Monday reported the 49ers fired special teams coordinator Brian Schneider.
Special teams was a thorn in the 49ers side all season, beginning in Week 2 when a blocked punt swung their loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Then in Week 3 a series of special teams blunders including the failure to defend a fake punt, a missed field goal, and the failure to cover a punt late in the game helped lead to a 49ers defeat.
The errors in that unit continued throughout the year and ultimately pushed San Francisco to part ways with Schneider, who had been with the team since 2022 when he took over for Richard Hightower, who was also fired.
One major change the 49ers can make next year is an enhanced focus on their special teams units where they rarely aim to gain an edge. Instead they opt to push the third phase to the back burner which shrinks their margin for error.
It’s unclear where the 49ers will look for Schneider’s replacement, but they should be on the hunt for a coach with some creativity who can help enhance San Francisco’s special teams unit instead of just trying not to lose that phase.
