The San Francisco 49ers haven't done an extensive search for their new defensive coordinator, with Kyle Shanahan seemingly intent on rehiring the first man he picked for that position.
But any plans the 49ers had to bring back Robert Saleh have been thrown into doubt by a series of events concerning the Jacksonville Jaguars, who parted with general manager Trent Baalke on Wednesday after the apparent favorite for their head coach position, Liam Coen, withdrew his name from consideration.
Saleh is scheduled to have a second interview on Friday and, with Coen seemingly out of the running and the problem of Baalke's presence in the organization removed from the picture, there are seemingly no obstacles preventing him from jumping straight into another head coaching job following his firing by the New York Jets in October.
That would put a 49ers organization that has only confirmed one other interview, that of Detroit Lions defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach DeShea Townsend, in a very difficult spot given the paucity of alternatives San Francisco has explored.
Shanahan spoke of giving Brandon Staley consideration for the job at an end-of-season press conference this month. Staley served as assistant head coach/defense in 2024.
While Staley looms as a potentially uninspiring alternative should the Jags hire Saleh, the 49ers are reported to have internally discussed another.
Per Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard, the name of former Seattle Seahawks head coach has come up inside the 49er organization as "an interesting idea".
That is particularly mild phrasing to describe the appointment of a coach who led one of the 49ers' arch rivals for 14 years, including during the peak years of that rivalry when Jim Harbaugh was San Francisco head coach. On top of his history with the Seahawks, there would also be scrutiny attached to hiring a coach who has not been a defensive coordinator since his last spell with the Niners in 1996.
But no coach can claim to have as much knowledge of the Seattle Cover 3 system that is the foundation of the 49er defense than the man who was head coach of the Seahawks during the Legion of Boom era.
In that sense, there could be method to what many would see as madness, and it would also be a homecoming for Carroll, who was born in San Francisco and grew up in Marin County.
A candidate for the Las Vegas Raiders head coaching job, the 49ers may have to be patient if they do indeed turn their focus to Carroll, but it is unlikely to have the same level of drama as their current waiting game with Saleh.
San Francisco's plans at defensive coordinator have been subjected to a late twist. As a result, the 49ers could still winding up bringing back an old coordinator, just not one anybody could have predicted.
