The 49ers’ special teams are poor in every conceivable aspect, and they’ve struggled with this for a long time.
The 49ers’ special teams have struggled in almost every way for a long time. Is special teams coordinator Brian Schneider the issue? Should the team consider firing him during their bye week?
Just last Thursday, they gave up a kick return touchdown. Later in the game, their backup kicker, Matthew Wright, made a critical touchdown-saving tackle, separating his shoulder in the process.
The week before, their starting kicker, Jake Moody, suffered a high-ankle sprain trying to prevent another return touchdown. It’s clear the 49ers have major issues covering both kicks and punts.
On top of that, punt returner Jacob Cowing has already muffed a punt and frequently loses his footing. It’s worth noting the 49ers had a costly special teams mistake in the Super Bowl when they muffed a punt in the red zone, which led to a Chiefs touchdown. That six-point swing was critical in a game the 49ers lost by three.
For years, the 49ers have been able to win despite these ongoing special teams problems, but this season, those mistakes are directly costing them games.
If there’s another special teams blunder that leads to a loss in the next two weeks, Schneider could be on the hot seat and might get fired during the Week 9 bye. He’s had plenty of time to address the unit’s issues but hasn’t found solutions yet.
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