Jets DC Jeff Ulbrich, 49ers had 'mutual interest' in coordinator leaving for San Francisco: report
The Jets defensive unit has undoubtedly been the team’s strength over the past two seasons, so it’s not all that surprising to hear that defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has drawn interest from other teams around the league.
According to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, there was mutual interest between the San Francisco 49ers and Ulbrich in the 47-year-old becoming the Niners defensive coordinator. That being said, San Francisco never formally requested to interview Ulbrich, and Rosenblatt notes that “the Jets made it clear that they were not going to let Ulbrich leave.”
The 49ers ultimately promoted passing game specialist Nick Sorensen to defensive coordinator.
Ulbrich has plenty of ties to the 49ers, as he was born in San Jose, Calif., grew up in the Bay Area, and played as a linebacker for the team for all 10 of his pro seasons.
Taking over as the Jets' defensive coordinator in 2021 after serving as an assistant with the Atlanta Falcons, Ulbrich has overseen one of the top defenses in football in New York. The Jets ranked third in total defense (292.3 yards per game) this past season, and fourth in 2022 (311.1 yards per game).
