After leading the vaunted 49ers defense for the past two seasons, coordinator DeMeco Ryans is one of the top names in the mix to land a head-coaching job this offseason.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday, citing sources, that the Denver Broncos have asked the 49ers' permission to interview Ryans for their open head-coaching job.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC in Houston, Ryans is not expected to pursue the Texans job after the team fired Lovie Smith on Sunday after one season.
Ryans has spent the last six seasons on coach Kyle Shanahan's staff, initially in a defensive quality control role in 2017 and the inside linebackers coach from 2018-20. He was promoted to defensive coordinator last season when the New York Jets hired Robert Salah as their head coach.
Ryans was a candidate to fill the Minnesota Vikings' coaching vacancy last season but declined to take a second interview.
The 49ers' defense finished the 2022 NFL season ranked first in total yards (300.6) and points (16.3) allowed per game. San Francisco also ended the season as the league's second-best rushing defense (77.7 yards per game).
San Francisco 49ers
Ryans isn't the only coach with 49ers ties to be named a candidate for the Broncos job.
Former 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh reportedly will be interviewed for the position early this week. Harbaugh hasn't coached in the NFL since splitting ways with San Francisco in 2014.
RELATED: Week 18 winners, losers: 49ers' Mr. Irrelevant enters playoffs
The Broncos fired coach Nathaniel Hackett on Dec. 26 after a disastrous 4-11 start to the season. Denver finished the season 5-12 and has plenty of questions to answer with quarterback Russell Wilson underperforming in his debut season in Denver. He's still under contract for the next six seasons.
There will be plenty of competition for the Broncos job.
Denver reportedly also has requested permission to interview Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and Sean Payton, who stepped away from coaching this season but is still under contract with the New Orleans Saints through 2024.