After parting ways with Steve Wilks soon after the 49ers' Super Bowl LVIII loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, coach Kyle Shanahan needs to find San Francisco a new defensive coordinator.
In an appearance on the “Rich Eisen Show” with Andrew Siciliano on Friday, 49ers Play-by-Play Announcer Greg Papa suggested a big-time name with Bay Area ties that can fill the void better than other potential options such as former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
“I think [former Seattle Seahawks coach] Pete Carroll would be more of a natural fit,” Papa said. Because with Belichick, he likes to vary his fronts -- it would be a very different defense. What’s the best defense to run for Fred [Warner], Dre [Greenlaw], Nick [Bosa], Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir and Talanoa Hufanga? That’s who you’re trying to serve.
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“The defense that the 49ers are running since Kyle [Shanahan] has been the head coach is [the] Seattle's defense. [Carroll’s] the guy who did it.”
Compared to Belichick, the 49ers are much more familiar with Carroll as an NFC West rival with the Seahawks.
The 49ers also potentially can benefit from Carroll's command considering they share a similar defensive approach. San Francisco has been running a 4-3, wide-nine defense that Carroll utilized for years in Seattle.
Besides strategic connections, Carroll has ties to the 49ers in two ways: As their former defensive coordinator and a Bay Area native.
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“He’s from the Bay Area,” Papa noted. “He used to be the defensive coordinator of the 49ers. Pete’s from here. He’s from Marin, Greenbrae.
“Does Pete want to do that, though? He’s been at the head coach level for 20 years. He hasn’t run a defense since he was with the 49ers in the mid-90s.”
Carroll, born in San Francisco, was the defensive coordinator of a 49ers team that finished first in the NFC West with a record of 11-5.
Most notably, the 49ers had the NFL’s second-best defense scoring-wise under Caroll, only allowing 16.1 points per game.
While Shanahan will be considering his options, it’s fair to assume he’s paying the former San Francisco staffer some piece of mind.
“It will be intriguing to see which way Kyle goes,” Papa concluded.