Robert Saleh could have the 49ers’ defensive coordinator gig — a second time in that role — in his back pocket, though time may be an issue for both parties. A second head coach interview request has since come Saleh’s way.
After the Jaguars requested a meeting, Saleh received an interview slip from the Raiders, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports. Saleh’s Jaguars interview is slated for Tuesday, and it would appear the recently fired Jets HC would need to carve out some time for the Raiders as well.
Las Vegas’ search party remains in the early stages. The team secured a meeting with Lions OC Ben Johnson, another of the top names on the market. Saleh joins Glenn and Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo as defense-oriented options to receive Raiders requests. This represents more momentum for Saleh, who has worked with the Packers in an advisory role for several weeks.
The Jets fired Saleh after the team started 2-3. No interim bounce occurred, as Jeff Ulbrich could not revive the team’s prospects as Woody Johnson hoped. Following Saleh’s ouster, the Jets’ first (and likely last) season with Aaron Rodgers as the full-time starter deteriorated. Saleh, 45, dealt with several Rodgers-generated hiccups — the minicamp absence — and saw his HC stint broadly defined by Zach Wilson‘s struggles in the three years prior.
Though, Saleh improved the Jets’ defense significantly in that span. After New York ranked last across the board defensively in 2021, Saleh and Ulbrich vaulted the unit to fourth in 2022. It remained a top-five total defense in both 2023 and ’24. Ulbrich remains in play for the Jets’ full-time HC post, though he is not considered the favorite for a team starting over in the front office. In the meantime, Saleh will be set to tell some interesting stories to two AFC suitors. More DC interest emerges if he does not land either top job.
Via PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, here is how the Raiders’ hunt looks on Day 2 post-Antonio Pierce:
