Every year, the 49ers get coaching talent poached. At the very least, teams sniff around their front office, too.
These are the perils of having an organization that is discernibly well run in most aspects, and it’s happened increasingly since the 49ers’ Super Bowl run in the 2019 season.
Both Robert Saleh and Mike McDaniel have taken head coaching jobs in the AFC East. DeMeco Ryans could follow suit elsewhere.
Kyle Shanahan confirmed that the Denver Broncos requested an interview with Ryans. It will assuredly not be the last request the 49ers receive for him.
Ryans has overseen the league’s top defense (best in points and yards per game) in a season they climbed back from 3-4 to 13-4. There was an outrageous run this year of shutting out offenses in the second half, and that happened again on Sunday.
Last year, Ryans declined a second interview from the Minnesota Vikings, saying he didn’t feel like he was ready to be a head coach, and wanted more time as a defensive coordinator. It’s hard to imagine he’ll turn down that opportunity again in this cycle.
He’s not the only one teams are looking at, though.
Shanahan also confirmed that 49ers Director of Player Personnel Ran Carthon, and Assistant General Manager Adam Peters were requested for interviews by the Tennessee Titans, who surprised many by firing General Manager Jon Robinson in the middle of the season.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Arizona Cardinals, who had GM Steve Keim step down after Kliff Kingsbury’s firing Monday, have done the same.
Carthon and Peters were both interviewed by the New York Giants for their GM role last season, where Peters was a finalist. Carthon was also interviewed by the Chicago Bears.
Due to the NFL’s rules on diversity hiring, the 49ers would receive compensatory third-round picks for the departures of Ryans and/or Carthon as they did for Saleh, McDaniel and Martin Mayhew, the GM of the Washington Commanders who formerly held Carthon’s current role.
It’s another offseason where the 49ers may very well lose key pieces of their coaching staff and front office.