The San Francisco 49ers might be turning back the clock by interviewing former New York Jets coach Robert Saleh for their open defensive coordinator position. Saleh left the exact role with the 49ers following the 2020 season to become the Jets coach.
Detroit Lions defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend also interviewed for the team’s defensive coordinator position.
The 49ers are seeking to replace former defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen, who was relieved of his duties after just one season Tuesday, even though San Francisco hopes to retain him on Kyle Shanahan’s staff in some capacity.
After wading through an initial rough patch in his inaugural 2021 season, Saleh’s New York defense finished in the top five in yards allowed in each of the last three seasons and produced four first-team All-Pro defensive players over two years. Even in 2024, the Jets ranked sixth in the league in defensive EPA per play, via TruMedia, before Saleh was fired in Week 6. New York finished the year 21st in EPA per play.
While Saleh could return to his former team as a defensive coordinator, he has also been a hot name as a head coach. The Jacksonville Jaguars added Saleh to their initial list of interview requests for their coaching vacancy. He is also set to interview for the Las Vegas Raiders head coaching role.
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In one year with the Lions, Townsend helped overhaul Detroit’s coverage unit. The 2024 Lions led the league with an 82.0 passer rating allowed, the lowest rate from a Lions defense since 2005. Detroit also allowed the second-fewest passing touchdowns (18) and allowed the second-lowest completion percentage (61.1 percent). Townsend has held similar roles as a defensive backs coach for the Titans, Giants (in an assistant role), Bears and Jaguars.
This hire will be San Francisco’s fourth defensive coordinator in fourth years. Since DeMeco Ryans departed for the Houston Texans, the 49ers have yet to find a long-term answer at defensive coordinator. Both Sorensen and Steve Wilks only lasted one season each before their dismissals.
Who fits best in San Francisco?
Saleh seems to satisfy the defensive coordinator criteria Shanahan laid out on Wednesday: He wants an experienced coordinator, one who preferably has a background in the Pete Carroll-era Seattle Seahawks defense and who has the ability to adapt to personnel changes. Saleh obviously is familiar to Shanahan having served as San Francisco’s defensive coordinator from 2017-20. That, of course, includes the 2019 season, one of San Francisco’s NFC champion seasons and widely considered the top year for defense under Shanahan.
The 49ers have been chasing that year’s unit ever since, but have managed to get a little farther away every season. Having Saleh back in the building would be a big step toward finally returning to a 2019-level defense.
Townsend, meanwhile, would seem to be more like the recently-ousted Sorensen. Like Sorensen, Townsend is a former NFL defensive back, who has mostly coached that position and who’s never been a coordinator before. Shanahan emphasized experience at the position during his Wednesday end-of-season news conference. Townsend spent the 2024 season running the pass defense for Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. That unit is known for its aggressive press coverage whereas the 49ers have mostly used zone coverages in recent years.
Saleh’s and Townsend’s interviews were done virtually. The interviews mean the 49ers have satisfied the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview at least two diverse — minority or female — candidates who don’t currently work for the team. — Matt Barrows, 49ers beat writer
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(Photo: Wesley Hitt / Getty Images)
