The San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday officially announced their coaching staff changes for the offseason and the upcoming 2019 season.
We already knew about new assistants Joe Woods (defensive backs, pass game coordinator) and Kris Kocurek (defensive line). Neither were not included on the list. Woods replaces Jeff Hafley, who left to become the co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State. Kocurek replaces Jeff Zgonina, who was fired.
Three hires that were already known but were officially announced on Wednesday include former Miami Dolphins assistant Shane Day, who replaces Rich Scangarello as the quarterbacks coach, former Houston Texans assistant Wes Welker, who will coach the wide receivers, and former Dallas Cowboys star Miles Austin, who will serve as the offensive quality control coach.
Also on the list is Ben Peterson, who will become the head of player health and performance. The Athletic first reported the hire on February 11.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan is headed into his third season as the head coach of the 49ers. The team signed him to a six-year deal in February of 2017.
Coaching Staff Updates
- Daniel Bullocks - Safeties
- Shane Day - Quarterbacks
- Wes Welker - Wide Receivers
- Zach Yenser - Assistant Offensive Line
- Bobby Slowik - Offensive Assistant
- Miles Austin - Offensive Quality Control
- Brian Fleury - Defensive Quality Control
Health and Performance Staff Updates
- Ben Peterson - Head of Player Health & Performance
- Dustin Perry - Head Strength & Conditioning
- Shea Thompson - Director of Performance Monitoring/Assistant Strength & Conditioning
- Aaron Hill - Assistant Strength & Conditioning
- Mike Nicolini - Assistant Strength & Conditioning
Below is a rundown of several of the new staff members as provided by the 49ers Communications staff.
Day, 44, rejoins the 49ers as quarterbacks coach, having previously served as San Francisco's offensive quality control coach for three seasons (2007-09). He spent the past three years (2016-18) as tight ends coach of the Miami Dolphins.
Prior to Miami, Day spent two seasons (2014-15) with the Washington Redskins, working as the team's assistant offensive line coach. Before his time in Washington, he spent four seasons as a quarterbacks coach, two with the Chicago Bears (2010-11) and two at the University of Connecticut (2012-13). Day worked as an offensive quality control coach for two seasons (2005-06) at the University of Michigan prior to joining the 49ers in 2007. He began his coaching career in the high school ranks, working as a wide receivers coach (2001), quarterbacks coach (2002) and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (2003-04) at Auburn Riverside (Auburn, WA) High School.
A native of Manhattan, KS, Day played wide receiver and baseball at Rhodes College (Memphis, TN). He later graduated from Kansas State University.
Welker, 37, joins the 49ers after spending the previous two seasons (2017-18) as an offensive/special teams assistant with the Houston Texans.
Welker was hired by the Texans after a 12-year playing career with the San Diego Chargers (2004), Miami Dolphins (2004-06), New England Patriots (2007-12), Denver Broncos (2013-14) and St. Louis Rams (2015). He appeared in 175 games (102 starts) and registered 903 receptions for 9,924 yards and 50 touchdowns. On special teams, he returned 183 kickoffs for 4,138 yards (22.6 average) and one touchdown along with 264 punts for 2,584 yards. He also saw action in 13 postseason contests (11 starts) and added 88 receptions for 866 yards and five touchdowns. A four-time AP All-Pro [First-Team (2009 & 2011) & Second-Team (2007-08)] and five-time Pro Bowl (2009-13) selection, Welker appeared in three Super Bowls (XLII, XLVI & XLVIII) and registered 26 receptions for 247 yards. He either led the NFL or finished tied for the League lead in receptions three times in his career (2007, 2009 & 2011).
A native of Oklahoma City, OK, Welker played wide receiver at Texas Tech University, where he finished with 259 receptions for 3,019 yards and 21 touchdowns to go along with 79 rushing attempts for 456 yards and two touchdowns. As a punt returner, he scored eight touchdowns in his collegiate career, which was tied for the NCAA record. In 2003, Welker won the Mosi Tatupu Award, given annually to the best special teams player in college football.
Yenser, 35, joins the 49ers after spending three of the previous four seasons (2015-17) as the run game coordinator/offensive line coach at the University of Kansas. He spent the 2018 season as the offensive line coach at Enterprise (AL) High School.
Prior to his time at Kansas, Yenser spent two seasons (2013-14) at the University of California, working as the school's offensive line coach. He spent the 2012 season as the assistant offensive line coach at Louisiana Tech University after serving two years (2010-11) as a graduate assistant at the school, working with the offensive line. In 2008, Yenser was an offensive line coach at Henderson State University followed by one season (2009) as an assistant coach at Colquitt County (Norman Park, GA) High School. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Troy University, working with the offensive line and special teams.
A native of Fort Mitchell, KY, Yenser was a four-year starter as an offensive lineman at Troy (2003-06). He appeared in 42 consecutive games during his career as he helped the Trojans win the Sun Belt Conference and the New Orleans Bowl as a senior, in 2006, when he was a team captain and First-Team All-Sun Belt selection. He graduated from the school with a bachelor's degree in communication and fine arts, in 2007, and later earned his master's degree in science with a concentration in sports performance from Louisiana Tech, in 2012.
Austin, 34, joins the 49ers after a 10-year NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys (2006-13), Cleveland Browns (2014) and Philadelphia Eagles (2015). He appeared in 129 games (70 starts) and registered 361 receptions for 5,273 yards and 37 touchdowns. On special teams, he returned 89 kickoffs for 2,146 yards (24.1 average). Austin, a two-time Pro Bowl selection (2010-11), also started two postseason contests and added 11 receptions for 116 yards and one touchdown. Following his time as a player, Austin worked as a pro & college scouting intern with the Cowboys.
A native of Summit, NJ, Austin played wide receiver at Monmouth University and finished his career as the school's all-time leaders in receptions (150), receiving yards (2,867) and touchdown receptions (33).
Fleury, 39, joins the 49ers after spending the previous three seasons working in the front office of the Miami Dolphins as the team's director of football research (2017-18) and football research analyst (2016).
Fleury spent 13 seasons in the coaching ranks prior to moving into Miami's front office. He joined Miami from the Cleveland Browns where he was the team's assistant linebackers coach (2014) and outside linebackers coach (2015). Fleury first entered the NFL in 2013 as a defensive quality control coach with the Buffalo Bills. Prior to Buffalo, he was the secondary coach/special teams coordinator at Towson University for four seasons (2009-12). From 2005-08, Fleury worked at Sacred Heart University as the school's secondary coach (2005) and later defensive coordinator/secondary/outside linebackers coach (2006-08). He began his coaching career as an offensive intern at the University of Maryland, in 2003, and became a defensive graduate assistant the following season.
A native of Germantown, MD, Fleury spent one year at the University of Maryland prior to transferring to Towson, where he played four seasons at quarterback for the Tigers.
Peterson, 34, joins the 49ers after spending more than two years as the director of sports science with the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League. In his role with the Flyers, he integrated strength and conditioning, sports medicine, physical therapy and nutrition.
Prior to his time in Philadelphia, Peterson was the director of research and analytics for Catapult, a global category-leader in elite sports technology. At Catapult, he worked with teams in every major professional league around the world, helping them identify and evaluate contextual analytics by measuring training loads and biomarkers to improve the performance outcomes and reduce soft tissue injuries of their athletes.
Peterson received his PhD in applied exercise physiology from the University of Minnesota and his bachelor's degree from Northwestern University. He spent three years as a graduate research assistant at Minnesota, while working as director of performance at P3, which brings a data-driven approach to understanding athlete movement and development for performance optimization. Peterson also spent one year as a strength and conditioning intern at Minnesota and as an assistant strength and conditioning coach with Major League Baseball's Minnesota Twins.
Thompson, 34, joins the 49ers after spending the previous three seasons (2016-18) working with the Cincinnati Bengals strength & conditioning department as a sports scientist. During his time in Cincinnati, Thompson also served as a sports science specialist with Ignition Athletic Performance Group.
Prior to his time with the Bengals, Thompson spent four years (2012-15) as an assistant strength & conditioning coach at the University of Minnesota. Before joining the Gophers, Thompson interned at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO, in 2011. Thompson also served as the head of athletic physical preparation at Fit2Live Gym out of Iowa City, IA, in 2011. Prior to Fit2Live Gym, Thompson served as an assistant strength & conditioning coach at Northern Illinois University from 2008-10. After serving as a volunteer football strength & conditioning coach at the University of Nebraska in 2006, he was promoted to assistant strength & conditioning coach and spent two years in that role (2007-08).
Thompson played linebacker at Buena Vista University for four years (2003-06) where he earned his bachelor's in exercise science from the school. He later earned his master's in kinesiology from Northern Illinois University, in 2009.
Hill, 28, enters his first season with the 49ers as an assistant strength & conditioning coach. Prior to the 49ers, he spent four years (2015-18) as an assistant strength & conditioning coach at Vanderbilt University. Before joining the Commodores, Hill held an offseason internship in the strength & conditioning department of the Carolina Panthers in 2015. He also served as a strength & conditioning intern at the University of Minnesota in 2014-15.
Hill played linebacker at Minnesota where he appeared in 47 games and registered 192 tackles, five forced fumbles and four interceptions. He was a two-time recipient of Minnesota's Butch Nash Award for competitiveness on and off the field. He signed with the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2014 and was later waived following training camp.
Hill earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Minnesota.
Nicolini, 30, enters his second season with the 49ers and first as an assistant strength & conditioning coach after spending the 2018 season as a strength & conditioning assistant with the team.
Prior to the 49ers, Nicolini spent seven years (2011-17) with San Jose State University's football program, three as a lead athletic performance coach (2015-17), two as an assistant athletic performance coach (2013-14), one as a strength & conditioning graduate assistant (2012) and one as a volunteer with the program (2011).
Before joining San Jose State, Nicolini played defensive back at the University of Redlands (2007-10), where he appeared in 36 games and registered 224 tackles, 31 passes defensed, 10 interceptions, four fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. As a senior in 2010, he was named the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year after finishing with 61 tackles, eight passes defensed, two interceptions and one fumble recovery.
Nicolini earned his bachelor's in exercise science from Redlands in 2011 and his master's in kinesiology from San Jose State in 2013.