The San Francisco 49ers certainly understood the strong likelihood Robert Saleh wouldn’t stay long when they hired him to return as their defensive coordinator last offseason.
Saleh finally accepted the role after being a head-coaching finalist for opening with the Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars, revealing the fact his name indeed hadn’t been dragged through the mud after the previous firing by the New York Jets.
Hence, the Niners also inked another defensive mastermind and former head coach, Gus Bradley, to serve as Saleh’s assistant coordinator. It’s hard not to recognize the potential succession pipeline being put into place.
Statistically, Saleh’s 2025 defense isn’t jumping off the page. San Francisco ranks dead last in sacks (12) through 11 weeks, and it has just three interceptions on the year.
However, considering the large reliance on first- and second-year pros in parallel with a massive rash of brutal injuries to key players like Fred Warner, Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams, it’s hard not to give Saleh an immense amount of credit for getting the most out of an otherwise unimpressive defense.
And that’s why Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer feels Saleh could depart elsewhere this offseason, almost as quickly as he arrived back in the Bay Area.
Albert Breer: Robert Saleh ‘is at least going to elicit interest’
In his weekly mailbag ahead of Week 12, Breer was asked whether or not Saleh would command any interest from the current and potential head-coaching vacancies that’ll be available this upcoming offseason. Two are already known to be available: the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans, both of whom fired their head coaches already.
Not shockingly, Breer referred to both of those franchises in his answer to the original question while also pointing out familiarity with the coaching tree of head coaches Kyle Shanahan and the Los Angeles Rams’ Sean McVay:
“I think Saleh is at least going to elicit interest, and may well land a job. He’ll interview well, he’s very close with a lot of the Shanahan-McVay tree offensive coaches (so finding a good OC won’t be a chore), and he’ll be able to energize a franchise that’s fallen on hard times. I could see the Titans or the Giants taking a long look at him, paired potentially with a Mike McDaniel (if he doesn’t make it in Miami) or Mike LaFleur to run the offense.”
As for the succession plan, Breer mentioned Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich as a potential favorite for Shanahan, although the stronger likelihood would be Bradley being promoted.
“My guess is Gus Bradley, who’s currently in-house in San Francisco, would probably be the guy,” Breer continued. “Shanahan has grown to really like him, and he’d be able to take the baton pretty easily from Saleh, whom he mentored years ago.
Ultimately, the Niners knew this outcome would be the most probable. Saleh wants to be a head coach again, and he’ll be a sought-after name this offseason at the soonest, next offseason at the latest.
Breer merely confirmed what most fans already know.
