Life can be unpredictable. One moment you’re criticizing a team’s offensive performance and calling out a player, and the next you’re vying for a job with that same team. This is the situation that Dave Merritt, the San Francisco 49ers’ potential defensive coordinator, finds himself in.
Merritt, who currently serves as the defensive backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, played a crucial role in the team’s victory over the Niners in Super Bowl 58. The secondary, led by Trent McDuffie and L’Jarius Sneed, effectively neutralized San Francisco’s potent offense, limiting players like George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk.
Interestingly, Merritt recently appeared on The Sports Shop Radio Show and criticized the firing of former 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, whom he worked under in 2018 while with the Arizona Cardinals. Merritt pointed out the team’s offensive shortcomings, questioning whether it was Wilks’ fault that players like Kittle and Aiyuk had lackluster performances.
It remains to be seen whether head coach Kyle Shanahan and the rest of the 49ers are aware of Merritt’s comments. Regardless, he is one of four candidates being considered for the vacant defensive coordinator position, alongside Brandon Staley, Nick Sorenson, and Daniel Bullocks.
Kyle Shanahan of the 49ers is considering Brandon Staley for the open defensive coordinator position, along with other candidates. Despite former boss Steve Wilks being defended by Merritt, his criticism of wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk may not bode well for him. However, if the Niners focus solely on his qualifications and disregard the post-Super Bowl controversy, he may still be a strong contender for the job. Whether this incident becomes a humorous anecdote or a warning remains to be seen.
