The 49ers Need to Fire Their Special Teams Coordinator
The 49ers fired the wrong coordinator after losing Super Bowl LVIII.
They fired Steve Wilks, whose defense actually performed quite well in that game until the final drive of overtime when it was understandably gassed. Nothing Wilks could do about that. And yet the 49ers fired him and not special teams coordinator Brian Schneider.
If anything cost the 49ers the Super Bowl, it was special teams, not defense. Because the defense never gave up an actual touchdown drive during regulation. Before overtime, the only touchdown the 49ers defense gave up came one play after the 49ers muffed a punt deep inside their own territory. Which means that touchdown was the special teams' fault.
First the ball bounced off Darrell Luter Jr.'s foot -- an unfortunate bounce. These things happen. But then Ray Ray McCloud made a critical sin. Instead of falling on the ball, as Schneider should have coached him to do, McCloud tried to scoop it up and run with it, as Schneider should have coached him not to do.
Players never should try to scoop a muffed punt and run with it when there are bodies around -- it's too dangerous. Just fall on the ball and give it to the offense. Don't try to be a hero. But that's exactly what McCloud tried to be, a hero. And that's on him and Schneider.
In addition, the kicker Schneider told the 49ers to draft, Jake Moody, missed an extra point, which allowed the Chiefs to tie the game with a field goal at the end of regulation.
The 49ers' special teams were abysmal in the Super Bowl. Someone needs to take the fall for that, and that someone should be Schneider.