The San Francisco 49ers have their coaching setup on the defensive side of the ball, with Nick Sorensen promoted to coordinator and Brandon Staley hired as an assistant head coach.

But during the 2024 season, they will get a couple of looks at what might have been.

Following a report that the 49ers tried to hire Steve Spagnuolo, the Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator who hand a huge hand in orchestrating San Francisco's downfall in Super Bowl 58, it has also emerged that the Niners were unsuccessful in pursuit of another coach in the AFC.

Zach Rosenblatt of The Athletic reported the 49ers explored hiring Jeff Ulbrich, the defensive coordinator of the New York Jets.

Ulbrich spent his entire career with the 49ers, playing 10 seasons as linebacker from 2000 to 2009. He is from the Bay Area and Rosenblatt reported that, though the 49ers never formally requested an interview, there was "mutual interest" between the Niners and Ulbrich.

However, Rosenblatt added that the Jets made it clear they had no desire to let Ulbrich leave. Teams can block interview requests if the role is not a promotion.

With Jets head coach Robert Saleh clearly unwilling to do former boss Kyle Shanahan a favor, the Niners will now face the coach they may well have hired during the coming campaign. The 49ers host the Jets in the 2024 season. 

On top of that, they will also welcome the Chiefs to Levi's Stadium in a rematch of February's Super Bowl that will stir up more painful memories.

The 49ers were ready to take aggressive swings but came up empty. Now they will hope that Sorensen can have success that doesn't leave them regret not being able to hire either Spagnuolo or Ulbrich when they go against their respective defenses. 

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