San Francisco 49ers want to interview Chiefs assistant for defensive coordinator

The Kansas City Chiefs have enjoyed a rather ridiculous level of stable leadership on the sidelines and the front office considering they've done the near-impossible in the NFL by establishing a modern dynasty. Yet in their quest for a three-peat they might have to go on without Dave Merritt, if he ends up being hired away this offseason.

While most of the NFL's 32 teams have reconfigured their coaching staffs, some larger positions remain open and the defensive coordinator role for the San Francisco 49ers is one of them.

NFL reporter Mike Garafolo has word that Merritt will be interviewing for the DC role in San Francisco after the team fired Steve Wilks earlier this winter.

Dave Merritt should honestly be getting several calls for the honor of being promoted.

The Chiefs have worked hard to keep their coaching staff in house so this gives Merritt leverage one way or another. Defensive line coach Joe Cullen was recently signed to an extension and Spagnuolo was as well. Andy Reid is also in line for an extension, per rumors that broke earlier this week.

Merritt has been with the Chiefs since the 2019 season when Andy Reid replaced former defensive coordinator Bob Sutton with Steve Spagnuolo. Spags brought Merritt in with him to coach up the team's defensive backs along with Sam Madison, and the results have been among the NFL's best. The Chiefs leaned heavily on a young secondary to win their second straight Super Bowl in 2023.

Merritt is a five-time Super Bowl winner between a long stint with the New York Giants and the Chiefs, so he brings more credibility than most to the sidelines with that experience and perspective alone. His body of work getting the most of players like Charvarius Ward, L'Jarius Sneed, and Trent McDuffie is impeccable, and it's past time for him to get a promotion to the coordinator level.

Merritt was a linebacker during his playing days in the NFL and was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 1993.