The San Francisco 49ers have decided to fire defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen after a disappointing 6-11 season, missing the playoffs for another year. The franchise's struggles have prompted significant changes to their coaching staff, including the termination of special teams coordinator Brian Schneider. Both moves have yet to be officially announced, as reported by a source familiar with the situation. Sorensen, who previously worked with the secondary, was appointed to the defensive coordinator position after Steve Wilks was let go despite leading the team to the Super Bowl.

Over the past three seasons, the 49ers have had three different defensive coordinators, starting with DeMeco Ryans, who departed to become head coach for the Houston Texans. Sorensen's defense failed to regain the high standards set under Ryans, ranking 29th in the NFL in scoring defense while allowing an average of 25.6 points per game. The team also struggled to create turnovers, recording only 17 takeaways, with a mere two over the final nine games of the season. Injuries to key players like Nick Bosa, Javon Hargrave, Dre Greenlaw, and Talanoa Hufanga hindered performance as well.