Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee asked San Francisco 49ers passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Joe Woods on Wednesday about his potential plans to join the Cleveland Browns as their defensive coordinator. Woods told Biderman that he hadn't yet decided on the job, and wouldn't do so until after Super Bowl LIV.
Spoke to #49ers defensive passing game coordinator/secondary coach Joe Woods who said he hasn't made a decision about the Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator job. He said that decision will be made after the Super Bowl.
— Chris Biderman (@ChrisBiderman) January 30, 2020
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports that Woods hopes to join Kevin Stefanski's staff in Cleveland, and the 49ers assistant said he is excited about the opportunity to become the Browns' defensive coordinator.
"We talked," Woods said Wednesday. "Obviously, I have a relationship with Kevin. I worked with him in Minnesota for eight years. But nothing's going to be decided until after the Super Bowl. Obviously, I feel like I have a good opportunity there, but we'll see what happens."
Woods hasn't had an opportunity to interview for the position yet, and Cabot had previously reported that Stefanski is willing to wait until the 49ers' Super Bowl run is complete.
"If that were to happen, it would be a very easy seamless transition for me,'' Woods said. "No question [Stefanski could let him go run the defense] because there's a trust factor there. He knows my work ethic. He saw me in the building for eight years. He knows what I'm all about, so I don't think there'd be a problem there."
There was a report that the 49ers were making a late push to retain Woods on Shanahan's staff. The thought process could be that the assistant coach might be able to take over for Robert Saleh after next season, should the defensive coordinator land a head coaching job elsewhere.
Saleh is expected to be a hot commodity after next season after nearly landed the Browns' head coaching job this month.
The 49ers signed Woods to a one-year deal in January of 2019. He is free to sign with any team after Super Bowl LIV.
"I feel like I've been around the league long enough and I felt my reputation was good enough that if I signed a one-year deal and it didn't work out, I'd be able to find employment," Woods said. "But I was basically betting on myself."
Note: All Woods quotes courtesy of Cleveland.com.
