NFL News: Robert Saleh Reportedly Expected to Become 49ers DC amid Jaguars Rumors

Posted by author January 24, 2025 NFL

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Robert Saleh could be heading back to San Francisco.

According to Matt Barrows, Michael Silver and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, Saleh is “expected” to return to the Niners as the defensive coordinator, a position he held between the 2017-20 seasons.

That comes in the wake of Liam Coen emerging as the favorite to land the head-coaching gig in Jacksonville. Saleh interviewed for that position last week and was scheduled to have a second interview planned for this week, but it appears as though the Jags will be going with Coen.

Jeff Howe @jeffphowe

The Buccaneers believe Liam Coen will be taking the Jaguars head coaching job, per sources. https://t.co/u6DQVNFNZE

Dianna Russini @DMRussini

So what changed for Liam Coen? He got on the plane to Jacksonville after Jags’ ownership called him directly and explained they will let him pick the general manager and would pay him “Ben Johnson” level money along with multiple years, per sources.

Dianna Russini @DMRussini

Robert Saleh never left New Jersey for Jacksonville. He was planning on flying into Jacksonville for the interview but plans are fluid.

It’s still possible he could take a head-coaching gig, however, with the Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints still having vacancies:

Ed Werder @WerderEdNFL

Saleh is one of four coaches known to have interviewed with the Cowboys to replace Mike McCarthy as head coach. https://t.co/aHbf3761BI

Saleh, 45, spent the past four seasons as the head coach of the New York Jets, going 20-36, though he was saddled with poor quarterback play in his first three seasons and was fired just five games into the 2024 season when he finally had a healthy Aaron Rodgers (the Jets went 3-9 with Jeff Ulbrich as the interim head coach).

As a defensive coordinator or head coach, his defenses have finished top-10 in yards allowed five times, top-10 in points allowed twice and top-10 in takeaways twice.

The Niners, meanwhile, were saddled with injuries on both sides of the ball in 2024 but finished 29th in points allowed (25.6 PPG) and eighth in yards allowed (317.4 YPG).

After a disappointing 6-11 season, the Niners made a number of changes to the coaching staff under Kyle Shanahan, including demoting defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen. They may keep him in San Francisco in a different role, however.

“Still trying to hope to keep him on board in another capacity because he’s a guy I don’t want to lose,” Shanahan told reporters after the demotion was announced. “But just where we’re at, really, as a team, where I think we need to go, there’s a lot of big decisions ahead for us.”

If Saleh is hired he would be the team’s third offensive coordinator in as many seasons after Steve Wilks was fired following the 2023 campaign. The Niners have not been nearly as formidable defensively in recent seasons as they were under Saleh and his replacement, DeMeco Ryans, who spent two seasons as the defensive coordinator (2021-22) before becoming the head coach of the Houston Texans.

Veteran linebacker Fred Warner told reporters after the season that some of that responsibility falls on the players.

“The easy thing right now is everybody is going to put the blame on [Sorensen] for how the defense has played and when you’re the guy at the helm, that’s what happens,” he said. “You’re going to take the brunt of that but it’s everybody. Everybody has got to take a look in the mirror. I’ve got to take a look in the mirror. … I think Nick has done a great job all season. As players when we have to execute and play the game; we didn’t him any favors.”

Saleh will be hoping they do him a few favors next season if he returns to the team.