Hires and title changes within the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff were officially released this week, coinciding with the team's start of organized team activities. One of the more notable additions of this offseason includes former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley who has joined the 49ers as assistant head coach/defense. Staley brings a wealth of NFL coaching experience with him to The Bay after a three-year stint with the Chargers, a year as defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams and another three seasons as part of Vic Fangio's defensive staff split between the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears.
While Staley has been working with Kyle Shanahan and company through most of the offseason, Wednesday was his first time addressing the media as a member of the organization.
"This is a first class organization in every way. I think it starts with Kyle and John (Lynch), what great teammates they are to one another," Staley said. "And, just meeting Jed (York) and Dr. York, ownership, (I'm) just so impressed with them. I think teaming up with the personnel department and seeing what a talented group that is, and our coaching staff has been really fun to work with. The best part is teaming up with these players. Once they got back in the building, it was fun to get started on all the hard work."
Staley will be working closely with defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen and Shanahan over the course of the year with a special emphasis on the defensive side of the ball, given his coaching experience.
"Brandon is in a real good spot, just leaving from being a head coach and he can help us in a number of roles, Shanahan said. "I think Nick feels very excited to have a guy on the staff who has called plays, who has done it at a number of different places and things. I think he's helped him a lot in those ways... Brandon is helping him on a lot of things just like all the other coaches do on the defensive staff. With Brandon's expertise in other areas than just defense, with his expertise as a head coach and things, I thought he was a real benefit in the draft and helps me in a number of areas also."
"I'm going to be here for Kyle and John wherever they need me to be," Staley said. "It will kind of be a combination of all my roles in the NFL. But, I'm going to be working primarily on defense. I'll be with a lot of the different position groups, mostly in the secondary and then working with Kyle on a lot of other different things."
