The San Francisco 49ers have turned to a former Giants coach to help replace a current Jets one.
The Niners officially announced 13 hirings or title changes for head coach Kyle Shanahan’s staff on Thursday, one of which was the hiring of James Bettcher as a senior defensive assistant and run game specialist.
Bettcher, of course, was the Giants’ defensive coordinator in 2018-19 under Pat Shurmur, and was out of football in 2020 after being fired following the 2019 season. The 42-year-old had eight seasons of collegiate experience as an assistant (2004-11) before moving to the NFL in 2012, and his eight seasons of NFL experience also include stints in Indianapolis and Arizona, where he served as defensive coordinator for three seasons before joining the Giants.
The addition of Bettcher will add experience to the defensive staff under new defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, who was promoted from inside linebackers coach after former DC Robert Saleh was named Jets head coach last month.
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch




