49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is expected to draw head coaching interest during this offseason’s hiring cycle, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
Saleh, 46, had a difficult tenure as the head coach of the Jets from 2021 to 2024. He quickly turned the league’s 32nd-ranked defense into one of the league’s best, but he could never get a handle on the offensive side of the ball, due in large part to poor quarterback play from Zach Wilson and Aaron Rodgers.
Saleh’s first offensive coordinator, Mike LaFleur, actually improved the offense from 2021 to 2022, but a rough stretch at the end of his second season led to his dismissal. Nathaniel Hackett took over in 2023 as part of Joe Douglas’ ill-fated pursuit of Rodgers and was clearly not up to the task. Saleh’s struggles in New York could also be attributed to questionable roster management from general manager Joe Douglas and interference from owner Woody Johnson.
Saleh was fired just five games into the 2024 season and quickly reunited with Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco this offseason. The 49ers defense ranks 25th in total defense but 15th in points allowed. The uninspiring results are understandable given major injuries to Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, their two best defenders. Edge rushers Yetur Gross-Matos and Mykel Williams have also been on injured reserve.
Despite being fired midseason, Saleh interviewed for head coaching jobs with the Cowboys, Jaguars, and Raiders, and was reportedly Jacksonville’s No. 2 choice behind Liam Coen. That shows that NFL teams still believe Saleh is a capable head coach who may not have been given a fair shake in New York. He also has plenty of relationships with young coaches from the Shanahan-Sean McVay tree that teams will covet as potential offensive coordinator hires.
Since leaving New York, LaFleur has been McVay’s offensive coordinator in Los Angeles but could jump at the chance to call plays again. If Mike McDaniel is fired in Miami, he could reunite with Saleh after the two spent time together under Shanahan in San Francisco.
Saleh will still have to nail his interviews and sell a new team on his vision for the future. After his experience in New York, he may be looking for more synergy with ownership and the front office