One of the top names in the next NFL head coaching cycle is Robert Saleh, the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator who has kept an injury depleted unit at least functional enough to keep the team in the race.
An ESPN analyst listed Saleh among the leading defensive minded candidates, but the question remains, would San Francisco be able to keep him on staff?
Robert Saleh Should Draw Interest From Multiple Teams in 2026 For Head Coaching Job
Jeremy Fowler wrote in an ESPN column that Saleh should be among the top names in the 2026 coaching carousel. On paper, that might not make much sense, considering how much San Francisco’s defense has struggled.
Heading into Week 12, the 49ers sit last in the NFL in sacks with just 12, 15th in points allowed per game at 22.9, and 25th in total yards allowed per game at 352.0. They also rank 29th on the PFSN Defense Impact Meter with a 65.0 score.
But the numbers don’t tell the full story. The 49ers have been one of, if not the most, injury-ravaged team in the league in 2025, losing core players like Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and Mykel Williams, and frequently relying on second or even third string defenders, especially at linebacker.
A season that was supposed to be transitional turned into one of pure survival, masking much of the work Saleh has done. Given the circumstances, the 49ers have played with real physicality and held up well against the run, ranking 12th in rushing yards allowed per game.
It’s hard to weigh hypotheticals, but the league values coordinators who maximize the personnel available to them. With San Francisco fielding one of the shallowest defensive units in the NFL, Saleh’s name could legitimately emerge as one of the strongest candidates for a head coaching job.
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The opposite argument also applies to his potential return. A down season could push names like Jeff Hafley and Brian Flores ahead of him, which might allow San Francisco to keep Saleh for one more year, this time with hopes of a healthier and more stable defensive roster.
Keeping Saleh would be a win for a team that’s one solid offseason away from competing for a Super Bowl again. Kyle Shanahan isn’t going anywhere, and Saleh clearly has the traits to be a head coach and likely will be again, but one last season as coordinator in 2026 isn’t out of the question.
Seriously? One of the worse D’s in the NFL and he deserves a promotion?
I say fire him…, yesterday.