Report: 49ers expected to hire Saleh as DC for 2nd stint

The San Francisco 49ers are expected to hire Robert Saleh as their defensive coordinator, sources told The Athletic's Matt Barrows, Michael Silver, and Zack Rosenblatt.

This would be Saleh's second stint with the 49ers after he served in the same role from 2017-20. He'll accept the defensive coordinator job unless another team offers him a head coach gig, NBC's Matt Maiocco reports. Saleh interviewed for head coaching vacancies with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys, and Las Vegas Raiders.

Saleh was considered a favorite for the Jaguars head coaching position and was supposed to fly out for a second interview Friday, The Athletic reports. However, Saleh canceled his flight after Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen re-engaged talks with the Jaguars on Thursday.

The 49ers struggled on defense in 2024 under first-year coordinator Nick Sorensen, ranking 29th in average points allowed per game. San Francisco finished 6-11 and missed the playoffs.

Saleh was the New York Jets head coach from 2021-24, accumulating a 20-36 record with no playoff appearances. The club fired the 45-year-old after posting a 2-3 record to start this campaign.