The San Francisco 49ers on Monday announced the hire of new special teams coordinator Brant Boyer in a move that may fix their biggest problem from the 2024 season.

While injuries and execution on both offense and defense played key roles in the 49ers’ 6-11 finish last season, their incessant special teams miscues catalyzed a handful of losses early in the year that spurred their end-of-season faceplant.

In Week 2 there was a blocked punt against the Minnesota Vikings. In Week 3 there was a fake punt for a first down and a big punt return late that led to a Los Angeles Rams comeback victory. And those are just the first few in a long string of mishaps that ultimately derailed San Francisco.

The 49ers immediately fired special teams coordinator Brian Schneider after the season and aimed to replace him with fired defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen. Instead, Sorensen is leaving San Francisco which opened the door for Boyer to step into the vacancy at special teams coordinator.

It looked like the 49ers might aim for a younger special teams coordinator who didn’t have a ton of experience, but they went the opposite route with a proven veteran coach like Boyer.

He was the special teams coordinator for the New York Jets beginning in 2016. There he survived three head coaching changes and was on the staff under then-Jets head coach and new 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.

Prior to joining the Jets in 2016, Boyer was an assistant special teams coach for four years with the Indianapolis Colts from 2012-15.

Boyer entered the NFL in 1994 as a sixth-round pick of the Miami Dolphins. He played for 10 seasons with the Dolphins, Jaguars and Browns. In 130 games he racked up 323 tackles, 13.0 sacks and six interceptions. He interned for the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants before getting his first coaching job with the Colts.

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