49ers Hit With Disastrous Coaching News on Robert Saleh

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Former New York Jets' head coach Robert Saleh reacts against the Kansas City Chiefs during the fourth quarter in the game at MetLife Stadium

The hits keep coming for the San Francisco 49ers in 2025 as they try to lure Robert Saleh back to the Bay Area. Initially, re-hiring Saleh looked like a sure thing. He interviewed shortly after the season ended, indicating mutual interest. However, the feeling of optimism is quickly fading as Saleh continues to make his rounds on the head coaching market. He first met with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Then, the Las Vegas Raiders requested an interview. Shortly after the Dallas Cowboys parted ways with Mike McCarthy, Saleh became one of their top targets.

While Saleh was never listed as a favorite to land in Vegas or Dallas, the Jaguars remained a strong candidate for his services. Saleh was announced to be one of three known candidates Jacksonville wanted to interview again. Yet, a report by Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud indicated the Buccaneers were preparing for offensive coordinator Liam Coen to accept the Jaguars coaching job.

The news was met with delight from 49ers fans, who believed that re-hiring Saleh would be the slam dunk move of the coaching cycle. Unfortunately, on Wednesday, everything changed.

49ers Met With Disastrous News

Ahead of his scheduled second meeting with the Jaguars, Coen opted out. Instead, he took himself out of the running and accepted a new contract with the Buccaneers, making him amongst the highest-paid coordinators in the NFL, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The news is astonishing, but what it means for Saleh should have the 49ers worried. Coen choosing not to take the Jaguars’ head coaching gig now puts Saleh in the driver’s seat, and things are heating up quickly.

According to Fox Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Robert Saleh is flying into Jacksonville on Thursday for a Friday meeting with owner Shad Khan, general manager Trent Baalke, and others. Schultz adds that with Coen out of the running, many around the league view Saleh as a potential favorite.

Some may ask, ‘Why don’t the 49ers give Saleh a contract to be the highest-paid defensive coordinator?’ Truth is, they have already, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic.

Despite the offer, the idea of Robert Saleh returning to San Francisco is fading. As the San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami speculates, something else may be going on with the 49ers. 

Whether he accepts the Jaguars’ job remains to be seen. However, it puts the 49ers in a compromising situation.

Running Out of Options

The team has already seen Jeff Ulbrich, their assumed second choice, join the Atlanta Falcons’ staff. They can no longer interview Lou Anarumo (hired by the Colts), and Dennis Allen is the favorite to join Ben Johnson in Chicago.

With the news, the 49ers need to act fast. Saleh can remain their top choice, but San Francisco’s lackadaisical approach needs to shift quickly. If Saleh chooses Jacksonville, they do not have many options left –at least, not ones on the upper echelon of defensive coaching.

The expectation is for the 49ers to turn to assistant coach Brandon Staley as a potential defensive coordinator. Staley’s promotion would be a last resort. However, his success leading the Los Angeles Rams’ defense in 2020 makes him a viable candidate. With Los Angeles, Staley’s unit allowed the second-lowest points in the league and the fourth-lowest rushing yards per game.

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan could also bring in Gus Bradley. Saleh was one of Bradley’s assistants in Seattle, thus keeping with the theme of schematic consistency. Although, Bradley’s units have seen a regression since 2021. Ranking 26th in points allowed the last four seasons, Bradley’s defense has also had a tough time stopping the run. In 2024, the Colts finished 24th in the league against the run — a stark contrast from what the 49ers are looking for.