SANTA CLARA — Coach Kyle Shanahan’s hiring spree of coordinators again has led him to a New York Jets castoff.
Brant Boyer was announced Monday as the 49ers’ new special teams coordinator, a role he held the past nine seasons with the Jets, where he overlapped and worked under coach Robert Saleh, who was re-hired Friday as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator.
Boyer, 53, replaces Brian Schneider, who was fired a day after a disaster-laden 2024 season completed his three-year term.
Saleh’s hiring was announced Friday night after three others — DeMeco Ryans, Steve Wilks, Nick Sorensen — succeeded him as Shanahan’s initial defensive coordinator from 2017-20.
“I do think it’s an avenue we can get better in,” Shanahan said Jan. 8 about the 49ers’ special teams. “And you can’t change the whole thing out so Brian ends up being the fall guy for that and I really appreciate him. He did have a real good three years here and worked his tail off and was very loyal to us and is a very good coach … Special teams is a part of football and everything a part of football is extremely important to us.”
The 49ers have yet to announce the completion of their offensive coordinator search, which was required under NFL protocol despite Shanahan’s premature promotion of Klay Kubiak to that role three days after their season ended.
Boyer has worked with several All-Pro Pro Bowl players in his coaching career: Braxton Berrios, Andre Roberts, Justin Hardee and kicker Jason Myers. After serving as an Indianapolis Colts assistant from 2012-15, Boyer took over the Jets’ units and worked under coaches Todd Bowles, Adam Gase, Saleh and interim coach Jeff Ulbrich.
Boyer played 10 seasons as a NFL linebacker out of Arizona: Miami Dolphins (1994), Jacksonville Jaguars (1995-2000) and Cleveland Browns (2001-04).
Related Articles
The 49ers helped coin the phrase “three-peat” but the Chiefs may actually accomplish it
49ers’ Robert Saleh makes triumphant return . . . now he needs the players to make it matter
Robert Saleh returning in encore stint as 49ers’ defensive coordinator
Is Jayden Daniels having the best rookie season ever for the Commanders?
49ers’ reunion with Robert Saleh expected as Jaguars, Raiders hire others
Other known candidates for the 49ers’ special-teams coordinator included Sorensen, Jett Modkins, Chris Banjo and Chris Tabor.
The 49ers’ special teams committed massive mistakes almost weekly through the first half of the season, then kicker Jake Moody struggled mightily upon returning from a high-ankle sprain. The 49ers employed three kickers last season — Moody, Matthew Wright, Anders Carlson — and even had punter Mitch Wishnowsky fill in for a 26-yard field goal after Moody’s Oct. 6 injury.
Boyer endured his own kicker crisis in his final year with the Jets, who burned through five kickers, one of whom was Carlson.
