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Amid former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick remaining unemployed, his name instantly popped up when the San Francisco 49ers fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks on Wednesday.
But that’s not the only option for the 8-time Super Bowl champion to land with the defending NFC Champions. FOX Sports’ Rob Parker floated that other option besides Belichick taking the defensive coordinator job — fire head coach Kyle Shanahan. San Francisco faces a crossroads as Parker sees it because of two Super Bowl losses under Shanahan’s guidance and three blown double-digit Super Bowl leads in his career overall.
“I know people are going to be like ‘you can’t fire the coach, he’s been in the Super Bowl twice in the last four years’ … yes, you can,” Parker pointed out. “Sometimes you take the unknown over the known. What we know is Kyle Shanahan is a choker. We know that.”
“It’s not like their offense isn’t moving and he doesn’t have a quarterback; he’s not making the right calls to close the games,” Parker added.
That’s where Belichick comes in. He mutually parted ways with the Patriots after 24 seasons and six Super Bowl wins there, but no team took him up on a new head coaching gig.
“Belichick knows how to win, he knows how to close games out, that’s why it’s worth making the move. Bill Belichick is known for defense,” Parker said.
To his point, the Patriots maintained a strong defense after the departure of now-retired quarterback Tom Brady in 2020. Parker also juxtaposed the fact that Shanahan, as an offensive coordinator, blew a 28-3 lead with the Atlanta Falcons in the 2016 Super Bowl against the Patriots.
“I’m convinced now and more than ever that Kyle Shanahan will never win a Super Bowl. Not with this team and this situation,” Parker said.
8 Reasons Why the 49ers Should Hire Bill Belichick as Defensive Coordinator
Realistically, the 49ers won’t fire Shanahan to hire Belichick, 71, as the head coach. As for defensive coordinator, if Belichick would take a move down for a season, it could result in his ninth Lombardi Trophy on an NFL coaching staff.
Chase Senior of Chat Sports laid out eight reasons why the 49ers should pursue Belichick to fill Wilks’ shoes, starting with the fact that Belichick is still available. Only the Falcons interviewed Belichick but went with a younger head coach in Raheem Morris.
Belichick has a great defensive mind, and the Patriots excelled on defense throughout his 24-year tenure. The first round of Super Bowl wins stemmed more from the defense than Brady’s arm.
As Senior noted, Belichick “isn’t tied to a scheme” when it comes to defense, and he plugged-and-played a variety of players throughout his time in New England. San Francisco provides a different opportunity for Belichick with a loaded defense.
In addition, Belichick is familiar with Shanahan, which makes a difference in chemistry on a coaching staff. Belichick’s wealth of historical football knowledge and still being a “sharp football mind” would aid the 49ers in a quest for another Lombardi Trophy.
Kyle Shanahan is Open to Change With the Defense
While the 49ers have a system down for defense amid a 5-year run of two Super Bowl appearances and four NFC Championships, Shanahan will allow a significant change with the next defensive coordinator though he’s not inclined to.
“But if I find something that I should believe in and I could be sold on that could be a better avenue, I would never hesitate to do that,” Shanahan told reporters on Wednesday. “So I’m not close-minded in any way. I’ll look into every possibility. But you know when you have some good players who have played at a high level and done it a certain way, I’m not just trying to change that.”
“I lean towards trying to keep them doing similar stuff that they’ve been very good at that’s got us very far. But I have to make sure that I find the right person who’s capable of leading our group in that way,” Shanahan added. “That the standard of how we have done it and that the belief that we’ll continue to get better at it I believe in with whoever I choose to do this for us.”
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