The San Francisco 49ers have their new setup on the defensive side of the ball, with Nick Sorensen hired as defensive coordinator but seemingly with help from Brandon Staley in an assistant head coach role.

Sorensen and Staley were among five candidates interviewed by the 49ers to replace Steve Wilks, who was fired after their Super Bowl 58 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs.

But before going through that process, head coach Kyle Shanahan tried to take the biggest of all swings.

Mike Silver of The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Saturday that Shanahan called Bill Belichick about the position. Belichick, despite seeing his storied New England Patriots tenure come to an end and being passed over by the Atlanta Falcons for their head coach vacancy, remains the finest defensive mind in NFL history.

Kyle's 16-day coordinator search, summarized: Called Belichick. Tried to get Spags (as per @DMRussini). Tried to pry Ulbrich from Jets. Interviewed 2 outside minority candidates. Promoted Sorensen and brought in Staley to freshen up the back end. Onward.

— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) March 2, 2024

Landing him would have represented a gigantic coup for the Niners. However, that the 49ers' interest did not progress further suggests Belichick has no desire to be a coordinator again after winning six Super Bowls as a head coach.

Silver also reported that the 49ers tried to get former San Francisco linebacker and Bay Area native Jeff Ulbrich, who is the defensive coordinator for the New York Jets. As it is not a promotion, the Jets were not under obligation to allow him to interview. 

An earlier report from The Athletic's Dianna Rusinni that the 49ers attempted to lure Steve Spagnuolo, the man who helped construct San Francisco's downfall in the Super Bowl as defensive coordinator of the Chiefs, was reaffirmed by Silver.

After coming up empty on all three of those efforts, the Niners decided to promote Sorensen and give the first-time coordinator a safety net in having Staley help him put together the defense. 

A search that could have ended in a blockbuster hire has instead concluded in a slightly unorthodox decision from the 49ers, who will hope the move to put their faith in Sorensen doesn't leave them wondering about what might have been.

49ers hire Brandon Staley to prominent role while naming new defensive coordinator

They’re taking a different approach.