49ers Begin Coaching Changes After Disappointing Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Timm Hamm | Last updated Jan 7, 2025 9:09 AM ET

The San Francisco 49ers are coming off a forgettable season where not much went right for the organization.

Poor play and injuries resulted in a 6-11 campaign and a last-place finish in the NFC West. While rumors about coach Kyle Shanahan's future have swirled, the dominos have begun to fall in the coaches room.

Per ESPN, the team has fired special teams coordinator Brian Schneider.

There are several statistical categories used to value an organization's special teams unit, and by most metrics, San Francisco's was one of the worst in the league.

Kicker Jake Moody struggled all year, making just 70.6 percent of his field goals. But other things plagued the 49ers' special teams unit: penalties, turnovers and mental errors sealed Schneider's fate late in the season.

Schneider was hired by Shanahan in 2022 and now the head coach will search for a someone new to rebuild the unit during an offseason that has a long list of fixes for the team.

The 49ers played much of the season without star running back Christian McCaffrey and quarterback Brock Purdy dealt with nagging injuries all season. The wideout room was not immune, as Deebo Samuel missed time and Brandon Aiyuk was lost in November with a torn ACL.

As changes have begun in the coaches' room, we'll see what other dominos fall this offseason.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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