Kyle Shanahan explains why the 49ers made a punter change

In a surprising move, the San Francisco 49ers waived veteran punter Mitch Wishnowsky this week, ending his six-year tenure with the team. The roster move came after San Francisco signed 16-year NFL veteran Thomas Morstead, who spent the past two seasons with the New York Jets.

It's no coincidence that new 49ers special teams coordinator Brant Boyer came from the Jets. He has clearly influenced several offseason personnel changes. Wishnowsky isn't the only special-teams veteran to be replaced this spring—San Francisco also released long snapper Taybor Pepper and brought in Jon Weeks, another seasoned veteran.

Notably, kicker Jake Moody, who missed 10 field goals during a shaky 2024 campaign, remains on the roster. However, the team added veteran kicker Greg Joseph to provide competition during the offseason.

On Thursday, head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed the decision to part ways with Wishnowsky and how much influence Boyer has had on the 49ers' special teams overhaul.

"Well, he definitely has the most expertise in the building," Shanahan said of Boyer. "Whoever has the most expertise, it's something I'll always lean towards that guy the most. But it's got to make sense. We've all got to agree with it."

Shanahan made it clear that releasing Wishnowsky wasn't easy.

"And it was really hard to cut ties with Mitch. I love Mitch," Shanahan said. "He's one of my favorite guys I've been around, especially from a special team standpoint and punter standpoint. He's such a football player in how he plays. The guys love him.

"But when you just look into contract situations, how last year went and things, the fact that Morstead became available, Brant being so familiar with him, and having that relationship, it ended up making it a decision that wasn't easy, but we all felt confident it was best for our team."

Wishnowsky missed eight games in 2024 after being placed on injured reserve with a lingering back issue. Despite that, Shanahan emphasized that health was not a significant factor in the decision.

"He is healthy," Shanahan confirmed. "So, he's going to go to a team and help a team out a lot. But those are things you've always got to predict. You don't know how those things go, and you've got to take the risk-reward, and something that, to me, wasn't a big risk or worth the risk until someone like Morstead becomes available. And that put us on where we needed to make a decision."