Jan. 22, 2026, 12:54 p.m. PT<\/p>\n
The San Francisco 49ers<\/a> tried making an addition to their coaching staff, but failed after their attempt to interview a candidate was denied.<\/p>\n NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero on Thursday reported the 49ers requested an interview with Atlanta Falcons secondary coach Justin Hood. San Francisco was eyeing what Pelissero referred to as a “high-ranking staff position<\/a>.” The Falcons denied the 49ers the opportunity to interview the coach despite new head coach Kevin Stefanski stepping in for the recently-fired Raheem Morris. Stefanski kept Morris’s defensive coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich, who is trying to keep his staff together.<\/p>\n It’s not immediately clear what the position was, although it’s unlikely the 49ers were aiming to bring in Hood as a defensive coordinator since the Falcons couldn’t have blocked what would’ve been a clear-cut promotion.<\/p>\n The club may have been looking for a defensive passing game coordinator or something in that realm. Safeties coach Daniel Bullocks currently holds that title. They may also be looking to hire a new assistant head coach of defense since it sounds like last year’s assistant head coach of defense, Gus Bradley, is a top internal candidate<\/a> for their vacant defensive coordinator position.<\/p>\n More 49ers: Which 49ers players did analytics like and dislike most in 2025?<\/a><\/p>\n