The San Francisco 49ers’ pass rush has taken a big step forward this season, with 15 sacks in six weeks after posting just 20 in all of this past season.
John Lynch has a few ideas why this jump happened: a mix of new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris with defensive line coach Chris Kiffin plus new additions to the defensive line.
“I think it’s a combination of a lot of things,” Lynch said on KNBR. “One thing I do notice, I think we’re playing a little more aggressive coverage. When you can get them to hold on, maybe pat the ball one more time, can those guys finish at the quarterback?
“I think you go get a guy like Osa [Odighizuwa] in the interior, the way he’s rushing. Keion White is playing big-time football. He’s so versatile, he can play across the line. You mix in those young guys, we’ve got a lot of different options. And Chris Kiffin, I think, is the best D-line coach in football. He continues to develop those guys. He’s relentless in pushing them every day, and he never lacks any enthusiasm, but they love playing for him. Raheem’s done a fantastic job. Our defense is really tied together right now.”
The 49ers have done it all, too, with rookies Gracen Halton and Romello Height and without Nick Bosa, who has missed the last four games with a calf injury, and mostly without 2025 first-round pick Mykell Williams, who returned in Week 5 after recovering from an ACL injury this past season.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers GM explains how 49ers pass rush improved so much in 2026