A shake-up is underway on the 49ers' defense, as a veteran coach departs, hinting at strategic changes ahead for the secondary.
The San Francisco 49ers appear to have quietly cut ties with a longtime member of their defensive coaching staff as the organization continues reshaping its defense this offseason.
Defensive backs coach and defensive passing game specialist Daniel Bullocks is no longer listed on the team’s official coaching roster, a change first noticed by Bay Area News Group and KNBR’s Dieter Kurtenbach. While the 49ers have not made any formal announcement regarding Bullocks’ departure, his absence from the website strongly suggests his time with the organization has come to an end.
Bullocks had been on Kyle Shanahan’s staff since the head coach arrived in San Francisco in 2017. He originally joined the team as an assistant defensive backs coach before being promoted to safeties coach, a role he held for four seasons. In recent years, Bullocks transitioned into a broader defensive backs role and added the defensive passing game specialist title ahead of the 2025 season.
The timing of Bullocks’ apparent exit is notable, particularly given a recent report from NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero that the 49ers attempted to interview Atlanta Falcons secondary coach Justin Hood for what was described as a “high-ranking staff position.” Atlanta ultimately denied the request. Because teams cannot block interviews for coordinator roles, the report sparked speculation that San Francisco was targeting a different position within the defensive staff.
Connecting the dots, it appears increasingly likely that Hood was being considered as a potential replacement for Bullocks. The overlap between the interview request and Bullocks’ removal from the coaching roster suggests the 49ers may already be planning changes within their secondary coaching structure.
San Francisco does have Ray Brown on staff as the team’s cornerbacks coach, and he just completed his first season with the organization. That could signal a broader restructuring of responsibilities in the defensive backfield as the team looks to address an underwhelming pass defense from a season ago.
The changes are not surprising. The 49ers struggled in pass coverage during the 2025 season, ranking 25th in passing yards allowed and 21st in passing touchdowns surrendered. San Francisco also recorded just six interceptions, tied for the second-fewest in the NFL. According to Pro Football Focus, the team finished with a 47.1 coverage grade, also ranking 25th in the league.
While Bullocks’ exit has yet to be formally acknowledged, all signs point to the 49ers beginning a defensive reset.