The NY Jets may not have been winning a Super Bowl anytime soon with Robert Saleh as their head coach, but the former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator has proven himself as an excellent defensive mind who held this team together before his firing ruined everything in the 2024 season.
Saleh wasn't out of work long after the Jets' 2-3 start led to his firing, as he was quickly brought in by longtime best friend and Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur to assist in their postseason push. Saleh will be an in-demand candidate for multiple prime coaching jobs in the offseason.
Saleh is one of a handful of coaches who will receive head coach interviews from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Saleh was previously a linebackers coach there, so that could be an appealing landing spot. His old gig, however, might be up for grabs as well.
According to NBC Sports Bay Area, the 49ers, who recently fired defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen, will offer their new DC job to Saleh. This could be the best way for him to rehabilitate his value while also sticking it to the Jets at the same time.
Saleh could go back to an organization that respects him and try to turn this unit into a group capable of competing for a Super Bowl in the near future. All it will take is one good year for him to get some prime head coach offerings, possibly in spots less dysfunctional than the Jets.
Robert Saleh could take 49ers DC job, stick it to NY Jets in 2026
Saleh is a very in-demand candidate as a defensive coordinator, as his Jets defenses ranked in the top-five in both points allowed, yards allowed, and EPA per dropback over the last three seasons. Handing the reins over to Jeff Ulbrich showed how much influence Saleh had over the defense.
The Jets were fifth in EPA per dropback when Saleh was fired, and they fell all the way down to 28th by the time Ulbrich put his mark on things. Saleh, who only got five full games with Aaron Rodgers and 34 with Zach Wilson, may just need the right quarterback to become a success in the pros.
Saleh is a prime candidate to learn from his mistakes in his first spot and eventually become a solid head coach in his second go-around. The first step in his plan to rub Woody Johnson's nose in how wrong he was might be heading back to his old gig in San Francisco.
