As the old saying goes, “Coaches are hired to get fired.” In that sense, there are an assortment of unfair criticisms being aimed at the Dallas Cowboys’ building of a coaching staff, starting with new top guy Brian Schottenheimer … and certainly when it comes to critics of the San Francisco 49ers, when it comes to Nick Sorensen, too. The Cowboys, having moved on from head coach Mike McCarthy while also allowing incumbent special-teams coordinator “Bones” Fassel to take the same job with the Tennessee Titans, are planning to bring Sorensen to The Star. On paper? Just like first-time head coach Schottenheimer and just like the plan for Dallas to hire Matt Eberflus to run the defense, Sorensen is credentialed. And he’s connected here.

Sorensen, the 49ers’ defensive coordinator last season, worked with Schottenheimer in 2021 with the Jaguars, when “Schotty” was the passing game coordinator and Sorensen was the special-teams boss. They also share a Seattle tie, as Schottenheimer and Sorensen also were together with the Seahawks from 2018-20 under Pete Carroll. Sorensen, 46, joined the 49ers in 2022 as a defensive assistant before becoming the team’s defensive pass game specialist and nickelbacks coach. He was defensive coordinator for only one season. … as he’s now out as the 49ers have hired former Jets head coach Robert Saleh to get a second stint as defensive coordinator under head coach Kyle Shanahan.

So, to the criticism that “Sorensen (or Schottenheimer, or Eberflus) isn’t good enough because he got fired”? Hey, they pretty much all get fired. Meanwhile, another Saleh guy, former Jets special-teams coordinator Brant Boyer will now become the 49ers’ special teams coordinator.