Former Cowboys special teams coordinator fits the description of what the 49ers are looking for
On Monday, the Dallas Cowboys parted ways with head coach Mike McCarthy, who notified his staff of the changes. Two highly coveted coordinators are now available, and the San Francisco 49ers should be interested in both.
I’ve always loved Mike Zimmer, but it’s Dallas’s special teams coordinator who the 49ers should have their sights on.
John Fassel has been working in the NFL in some capacity with various special teams units for nearly twenty years. He began as an assistant for the Baltimore Ravens in 2005 before being named a special teams coordinator for the Raiders in 2008. The cherry on top for Fassell is that he worked in the NFC West as the Rams’ special teams coordinator from 2008 through 2019 before holding the same title with the Cowboys through Monday.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more experienced coordinator than Fassel. Furthermore, the results speak for themselves.
In 2024, the Cowboys finished third in special teams DVOA. It helps to have kicker Brandon Aubrey, who seemingly never missed and was in range as soon as Dallas crossed mid-field. Dallas led the league by a comfortable margin in kickoff return DVOA. Deebo Samuel’s finish to the season as a returner should garner Fassel an interview.