The San Francisco 49ers were on the hunt for a new defensive coordinator this past offseason, and head coach Kyle Shanahan made a bold move to try to recruit one of the greatest minds in football history.
Shanahan recently revealed that he offered the 49ers’ defensive coordinator position to none other than Bill Belichick. However, the legendary coach “politely” declined the offer.
During an appearance on “The TK Show,” Shanahan shared, “I threw it out to him. He loves football so much that you never know. I mean, I can’t believe that he’s not a head coach of a team right now. I know what I would do if I was an owner, so that shocks me. And the last thing you want to do is insult someone like Bill Belichick, but I know he just loves ball in the simplest form. So I threw it all out to him. Whatever he’d want to do.
“I was like, ‘Would you be interested (in the defensive coordinator job)?’ He was very nice and appreciative, but he politely turned me down.”
This audacious offer came after a significant change in Belichick’s career. In January, the New England Patriots and Belichick parted ways after a storied 24-season partnership that resulted in six Super Bowl titles.
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Despite being widely regarded as one of the greatest head coaches ever, the 72-year-old Belichick did not secure a head coaching position for the upcoming season, though he interviewed with multiple teams and was a finalist for the Atlanta Falcons’ head coaching job.
Meanwhile, the 49ers had their own coaching shakeup. Following San Francisco’s Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in February, the team parted ways with former defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
The 49ers eventually promoted Nick Sorensen, their defensive pass game specialist and nickel cornerbacks coach, to the defensive coordinator position.
Although Shanahan’s ambitious attempt to bring Belichick onboard didn’t pan out, the 49ers still managed to bolster their defensive coaching staff by hiring Brandon Staley, a former head coach, as an assistant.
Reflecting on his interaction with Belichick, Shanahan noted, “It could be good, too, because I’m sure he’s gonna be back in the league next year and I could be going against him. It could be in the NFC West, so it would’ve sucked if he came here and then he was going against us.”
Belichick’s reputation for comeback victories is well-known, highlighted by the Patriots’ remarkable win over the Falcons in Super Bowl LI, where New England overcame a 28-3 deficit.
Interestingly, Shanahan was the offensive coordinator for the Falcons during that infamous game, adding another layer to his respect and admiration for Belichick’s football acumen.
