Why the 49ers Relieved Nick Sorensen as Defensive Coordinator

The 49ers will be searching for a new defensive coordinator for the third year in a row after they relieved Nick Sorensen of his duties. Here is why.

Dec 30, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen after the game against the Detroit Lions at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Another one-and-done.

The San Francisco 49ers relieved Nick Sorensen as defensive coordinator after one season. The news was reported Tuesday evening and confirmed by Kyle Shanahan at his exit press conference on Wednesday. The 49ers will seek a new defensive coordinator for a third consecutive year.

Here is what Shanahan had to say about why the 49ers relieved Sorensen from his position.

"it was a real tough decision. I love Nick as a person and I love him as a coach. Still trying to hope to keep him on board in another capacity, because he is a guy I don't want to lose. But just where we're at, really as a team, where I think we need to go. There are a lot of big decisions ahead for us. And as hard as it is for me to come to this conclusion, but I feel there are some options out there that can end up being a better option in the situation that we're in for our team.

"And when really it comes down to that, in the position I'm in, regardless of anything else, that's always the stuff I’ve got to go with. So, it was a real tough decision for me, and I'm still hoping that we can keep Nick here, but I do feel there are some other avenues that in the long run will be better for the 49ers.”

So, the 49ers will look to keep Sorensen on staff and possibly move him to special teams coordinator. However, I find it unlikely he will want to remain with the team after being relieved as defensive coordinator. It would be awkward for him to be known as the guy who failed in the building.

Sorensen being let go as the defensive coordinator wasn't surprising. The defense wasn't elite by any measure and crumbled in the final few games of the season. However, Sorensen wasn't as bad as critics make it out to be. Yes, there is a lot more to be desired from him.

At no point was the defense stupendous under his watch, but the majority of the issues on the defense were player-related. There was a significant lack of talent. Linebacker was putrid outside of Fred Warner who played on a fractured ankle for most of the season. It caused him to play below his standard. The 49ers got little from that position.

The defense line hardly had any standouts. Nick Bosa was good, but not great. Leonard Floyd was solid, but all the other newcomers to the defensive line weren't impactful enough. The secondary of the 49ers was solid. However, the safety position was horrendous. The only bright spot there was rookie Malik Mustapha.

How was Sorensen supposed to succeed? I guess critics would've liked him to pull a rabbit out of his hat, which is unfair to a rookie defensive coordinator. The execution from the players was just as back as the lack of talent. The 49ers had the fifth-highest missed tackle rate in the NFL, per Next Gen Stats. So, the players are in a position to make a play but can't. How is that on Sorensen?

Not to mention the dropped interceptions this team had and the countless poor angles taken from Ji'Ayir Brown and Talanoa Hufanga all season long. The players did Sorensen absolutely zero favors. Even Warner admitted it and he's correct. Whoever the next defensive coordinator is will have to acknowledge that they have a challenge in front of them.

It is a challenge that Sorensen couldn't grow and overcome, and that is what ultimately ended his tenure as defensive coordinator.

Read more

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• 5 Potential Replacements for 49ers Defensive Coordinator Nick Sorensen

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• 49ers CB Deommodore Lenoir Aspires to be Like Charles Woodson

• 49ers Will Pick at No. 11 in the 2025 NFL Draft

• 49ers Nightmare Season Ends in 47-24 Loss to the Cardinals

• 49ers LB Fred Warner Reveals his Offseason Goals

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