Report: 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans cancels interview with Cardinals ahead of playoff game

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans canceled his interview with the Arizona Cardinals, according to FOX NFL Sunday’s Jay Glazer.

Ryans interviewed with the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans on Sunday before canceling his interviews with the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts in order to focus on the Niners’ playoff game, per Glazer.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler was the first to report the scheduled interview for Sunday, while NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero was first to report the interview would take place.

The report comes after the team reportedly met with in-house candidate and DC Vance Joseph on Wednesday and former Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich on Tuesday. Arizona has a Saturday interview lined up with Detroit Lions DC Aaron Glenn.

The Cardinals have also requested permission to interview Denver Broncos DC Ejiro Evero, Pittsburgh Steelers defensive assistant Brian Flores and former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.

The 38-year-old Ryans was a fast riser in the coaching ranks, starting out in 2017 with San Francisco as a defensive quality control coach on the first iteration of Kyle Shanahan’s staff. Ryans advanced to inside linebackers coach from 2018-20 and then took over defensive coordinator duties when predecessor Robert Salah took the New York Jets’ head-coaching job in 2021.

In 2022 behind NFL Defensive Player of the Year favorite Nick Bosa, San Francisco finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in defensive DVOA (Defense-Adjusted Value Over Average), ranking fifth against the pass and second against the rush.

San Francisco gave up the fewest yards per game (300.6) and points per game allowed (16.3) while ranking second in rush yards allowed per game (76.9).

Ryans played for the Texans from 2006-11 and the Philadelphia Eagles from 2012-15.

The former linebacker piled up 735 tackles with 13.5 sacks and seven interceptions in his career.

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