49ers hire Brant Boyer to take over their struggling special teams unit

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers hired former New York Jets special teams coordinator Brant Boyer on Monday to take over a unit that has struggled for years under coach Kyle Shanahan.

Shanahan fired special teams coordinator Brian Schneider following a season in which mistakes in the kicking game contributed to a 6-11 record. He found a proven option in Boyer that he hopes can provide needed improvement to a unit that finished last in the league in expected points added on special teams and near the bottom of nearly all efficiency stats involved with the kicking game.

The 53-year-old Boyer ran the special teams for the Jets for the past nine seasons under three different full-time head coaches.

Boyer led a special teams unit that ranked tied for second with nine touchdowns scored, second with eight blocked punts and tied for fifth in kick return coverage. He coached two All-Pro returners and three players who made the Pro Bowl for their work on special teams.

Boyer served as an assistant special teams coach for Indianapolis from 2012-15 before joining the Jets and played 11 seasons in the NFL.

Mistakes on special teams played big roles in some key losses for San Francisco last season, including a Week 3 defeat against the Rams when San Francisco allowed a fake punt that fueled a scoring drive, missed a field goal that could have put the game away late and gave up a long punt return that set up a game-winning field goal.

But the problems were persistent all season, with San Francisco having a punt blocked, giving up a kickoff return for a touchdown and committing three turnovers on returns over the course of the season. The Niners allowed a successful fake punt again in a season-ending loss at Arizona on Sunday.

The biggest issues on special teams were the struggles of second-year kicker Jake Moody, who went 5 for 14 on field goals from at least 40 yards in the final nine games after he returned from an ankle injury.

San Francisco used a third-round pick on Moody in 2023 and he had an up-and-down rookie season.

The Niners are undergoing major changes on Shanahan's coaching staff. Robert Saleh was hired last week for a second stint as defensive coordinator after spending three-plus seasons as head coach of the Jets, where he worked closely with Boyer.

San Francisco also is interviewing candidates for the offensive coordinator spot that has been vacant since Mike McDaniel left following the 2021 season to become head coach in Miami. Passing game specialist Klay Kubiak is expected to get promoted into that role.

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Josh Dubow, The Associated Press