Robert Saleh ‘over the moon happy’ as Titans’ next coach, again leaving 49ers
SANTA CLARA – Robert Saleh is again leaving his job as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator for an NFL head-coaching post, this time with the Tennessee Titans.
“He wanted to make sure it was right and not just any job,” Saleh’s agent, Doug Hendrickson, told the Bay Area News Group. “He felt really good where this team is going. He’s over the moon happy.”
Five years ago, Saleh split for the New York Jets, for whom he went 20-36 before being fired five games into the 2024 season and returning last offseason to the 49ers.
Saleh’s deal with the Titans was still being finalized Monday night but is expected to span five seasons.
He interviewed in person with the Titans in Nashville earlier Monday, and, afterward, the Titans promptly declared him a finalist with Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. The Titans interviewed 15 candidates.
The most likely candidate to replace Saleh in charge of the 49ers defense is Gus Bradley, who arrived a year ago as Kyle Shanahan’s assistant head coach/defense and often gave team addresses on the eve of games.
As Saleh exited the 49ers’ locker room after Saturday’s 41-6 divisional-round playoff loss at Seattle, he confirmed he was heading for multiple interviews in an NFL coaching cycle where 10 jobs have opened this offseason.
Saleh was scheduled for an in-person interview Tuesday with the Arizona Cardinals, who conducted a virtual interview with him last week, as did the Miami Dolphins. Jeff Hafley, who worked under Saleh on Shanahan’s 2017-18 staff as the 49ers’ defensive backs coach, was hired Monday for the Dolphins’ gig.
“Just having a guy like Saleh, he was so energetic, coming off when we first met him,” cornerback Deommodore Lenoir said Monday afternoon. “Just playing for him was a blessing just to learn. He’s really a defensive mastermind despite what we had going, us losing games, the last game.”
The Titans’ selection of Saleh was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, followed by other outlets.
Saleh reprised his defensive coordinator role with the 49ers this season. He was heralded for juggling a lineup that was steeped in youth and last-minute replacements, especially after injuries took out defensive end Nick Bosa in Week 3 and linebacker Fred Warner in Week 6.
“Saleh definitely has made my knowledge of the game grow more,” defensive end Mykel Williams said. “Just the way he breaks down the game to end the meetings and tell us different tendencies and different things to look for in offenses. I definitely took some things from Saleh. I hope he’s here, but if he’s not, it’s the nature of the beast and part of the game.”
Shanahan now must change defensive coordinators for the fifth time in six years, after DeMeco Ryans (2021), Steve Wilks (2023), Nick Sorensen (2024), and Saleh (2025).
Shanahan has long expressed confidence Saleh would get a second chance as a head coach. After the 49ers’ wild-card win in Philadelphia, Shanahan said of Saleh’s prospects: “Saleh’s a great coach anyway. Regardless of what happened today or what happens next week, it’s a matter of time for Saleh as a head coach again.”
Saleh will inherit a troubled Titans franchise that is led by 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward at quarterback, with a new stadium on the 2027 horizon. Brian Callahan, a De La Salle High-Concord graduate, was fired by the Titans after a 1-5 start to this season and a 3-14 record in 2024.
One of the burning questions in his hiring will be who he appoints as offensive coordinator. Klay Kubiak, who was promoted to that role with the 49ers this past season, will not be allowed to leave for a lateral move, Shanahan said after Saturday’s game. Kubiak has interviewed with the Las Vegas Raiders and the Pittsburgh Steelers for their head-coach vacancies.
Tennessee general manager Mike Borgonzi and Saleh now must form a successful partnership, such as the one Saleh has admired with Shanahan and 49ers general manager John Lynch. Hendrickson, Saleh’s agent, said the Titans’ combination of Borgonzi and owner Amy Adams Strunk gave off a great vibe with great vision for Saleh.
“Culture to me is always about the people. It’s not the words, it’s the people,” Saleh said last week. “And I think John and Kyle have done an outstanding job staying true to the people they want in this building.
“That goes from coaches, staff members, I mean everybody, including players. And I think when you bring in the type of person you want, the culture will easily form itself, if that makes sense,” Saleh added. “And I think they’ve done a really nice job staying disciplined to that. And that locker room is filled with people built of the right character.”
Saleh, presuming his deal will be finalized with the Titans, will now compete in the AFC South against his former protoge, DeMeco Ryans, the Houston Texans’ coach since 2023. The Titans will try to dethrone the Jacksonville Jaguars, whose coach, Liam Coen, got into a verbal spat with Saleh following the Jaguars’ Week 4 win at Levi’s Stadium.
Unlike in 2021, the 49ers will not receive draft-pick compensation from the NFL’s minority-hiring incentives; candidates must work more than one season for a franchise.
Other candidates besides Bradley to replace Saleh on the 49ers could be former Falcons coach Raheem Morris, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, and K.J. Wright, who impressed as a defensive quality control coach and linebackers specialist for the 49ers.