While the San Francisco 49ers are preparing for the NFC Championship on Sunday, defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans is a hot commodity for a head coaching job this offseason, with links to the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos. Mike Klis of 9News reported Thursday that Ryans is one of the Broncos' top candidates to take over after their underwhelming campaign which saw the team go 5-12. He's already interviewed for both openings, too.
Niners HC Kyle Shanahan knows Ryan will be gone after the campaign ends as he gets the chance to have his own team and couldn't help but praise the former linebacker for his leadership and wealth of knowledge. Via SI:
“He’s the ideal leader, whatever he does,” Shanahan said. “He was that way when he came into Houston as a rookie linebacker. He took over that defense right away.
“You could tell he was in charge when he was a 21-year-old rookie. He came in here as a quality control [coach], and within like six months, we moved him to linebacker coach.”
DeMeco Ryans took over as DC for the 49ers in 2021 and instantly transformed them into one of the best units in the league. It's no wonder he's garnering interest. The Broncos are also eyeing the likes of Sean Payton and Dan Quinn, but according to Klik's sources, Ryans is seen as the ideal candidate following the firing of Nathaniel Hackett.
No team, including Denver, can interview Ryans again until next week after San Francisco's NFC Title matchup in Philly. The 38-year-old played six seasons for Houston before moving on to the Eagles for another four years. Perhaps the Texans have an advantage for his services because of his playing history, but the Broncos have made it clear they're extremely keen on Ryans to get this franchise back on track in 2023.
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