Richard Sherman endorses Jim Schwartz as 49ers’ next DC

With their 2025 NFL season officially over, the San Francisco 49ers now have to navigate finding a new defensive coordinator for the second season in a row after Robert Saleh was named the Tennessee Titans’ new head coach.

In 2025, securing Saleh’s services was a borderline no-brainer for Kyle Shanahan and company, as the duo had incredible success together before the defensive mastermind was hired to lead the New York Jets, but now, the options are far less clear, with the potential to land another Nick Sorensen or Steve Wilks if they don’t hit the hiring out of the park.

Fortunately, Richard Sherman knows just the man for the job to keep the 49ers effective on the defensive side of the ball, Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, as he broke down on his namesake podcast.

“I think they’re going to go with an established coordinator. I think, um, they, they, they tried to go with hiring from within with Nick Sorensen last time and just didn’t feel right about how things ended up. A great man, a great coach, just didn’t work out how they needed it to. I think they try to get an established, they go out there and put feelers out if Jim Swartz doesn’t get the job with the Cleveland Browns,” Sherman explained.

“I’m sure Kyle Shanahan is going to throw everything, including the kitchen sink, at him to try to get him in San Francisco. That would be a home run and an absolute grand slam hit. If he could get a guy like that in the building. If he can’t, I believe Raheem Morris would be guy that he calls and has a conversation with, in terms of that job, those are some of the names that I know they’re interested in, um, that, that would make, make a lot of sense, uh, but, but you just never know how it’s going to shake out. There’s so many openings, so many, so many things to still be determined.”

Coaching around the NFL for longer than many of the 49ers players have been alive, Schwartz is one of the top defensive coordinators in the league and has the resume to prove it. He’s helmed multiple top-10 defenses, helped to popularize the Wide-9 as a defensive front, and won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles back in 2018. Though his scheme may differ from what the 49ers are used to under Shanahan, if they want a premier talent to lead their defense for years to come, Schwartz might just be the best man for the job.

Richard Sherman on the 49ers open defensive coordinator position:

“If Jim Schwartz doesn’t get the job with the Browns, I’m sure Kyle Shanahan is gonna throw everything including the kitchen sink at him to try and get him in San Francisco. That would be an absolute home run… If… pic.twitter.com/zZiVqi6zju

— Coach Yac (@Coach_Yac) January 21, 2026

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