Eric Thatcher is entering his first season with the 49ers as an area scout after spending 2021 as the team's National Football Scouting representative.
Prior to joining San Francisco, Thatcher worked as an assistant recruiting coordinator for Penn State University (2019-2020).
Thatcher spent 10 seasons as a coach prior to his scouting career. The Cincinnati, OH native served as the safeties coach for the University of Albany in 2021 after working as the defensive backs coach for Florida International University (2016-18) and the University of Pittsburgh (2015). Prior to his time with the Panthers, he spent two seasons at Slippery Rock University. First as the linebackers coach (2013) and later as the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach (2014). Thatcher was a defensive quality control coach for the Buffalo Bills in 2012 after serving as the defensive backs coach at Mercyhurst College in 2011 and as the linebackers/defensive backs graduate assistant at the University of Pittsburgh in 2010. He got his start in coaching in 2009 as the defensive backs coach at St. Vincent College.
Thatcher graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor's Degrees in administration of justice and social science. He played safety for the Panthers football team from 2004-2009.
Thatcher resides in Pittsburgh, PA, with his wife Britni and their two sons, Eli and Eason.
