BREAKING NEWS: 49ers defensive coach has interview for…..

According to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, the San Francisco 49ers are planning to interview Kansas City Chiefs defensive backs

coach David Merritt for the position of defensive coordinator.

Merritt is the fourth known candidate to interview for the defensive coordinator position. He will interview alongside former Los Angeles

Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, 49ers defensive pass game coordinator Nick Sorenson, and 49ers defensive backs coach Daniel

Bullock for the role.

Merritt is a name that appears out of nowhere for the Niners. However, there is logical rationale behind their interest in him. For starters,

he has extensive experience in the NFL. He has been a coach in the league since 2001, having previously worked for the New York Jets

(2001-2003), the New York Giants (2004-2017), the Arizona Cardinals (2018), and the Kansas City Chiefs since 2019.

Take note of his tenure with the Giants. Merritt has worked with Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo for years. Clearly, he is an

excellent understudy for Spagnuolo. Shanahan is clearly trying to find his own version of Spagnuolo with the 49ers, which makes sense.

Spagnuolo’s defense has outperformed Shanahan’s in the last three meetings. That must be appealing to Shanahan to desire that for his

squad.

There is also the possibility that Shanahan will obtain inside knowledge about how Spagnuolo operates. What better way for him to do so

than to hire a coach who has worked with Spagnuolo for many years? Furthermore, the 49ers would be removing a key defensive coach

from the Chiefs, which might sting them if the 49ers have to face them again in the future.