TODAY, 6:35pm: Not so fast. With Liam Coen reportedly reentering the Jaguars HC mix, Saleh’s meeting with the organization is on hold. Dianna Russini of The Athletic says Saleh hasn’t traveled to Jacksonville for his meeting with the Jaguars, which was scheduled to take place tomorrow. Russini cautions that “plans are fluid,” but it sounds like Saleh is waiting to see how things unfold with Coen.
For what it’s worth, Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports reported that Saleh did indeed fly to Jacksonville before news broke of Coen’s renewed interest. However, multiple reports (including Russini and Michael Silver of The Athletic) have said Saleh never traveled to Florida.
MONDAY, 4:30pm: With Ben Johnson having chosen the Bears, the AFC South team is looking at other options. After Robert Saleh impressed the Jaguars during his first meeting, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports a second interview is on tap.
Saleh will meet again with Jags brass Friday. The former Jets HC interviewed for the Cowboys and Raiders’ jobs and looks to have a 49ers DC reunion in his back pocket if another top job does not pan out. But Saleh appears to have a legitimate chance of landing another HC job months after being fired.
Saleh’s Cowboys and Raiders meetings commenced last week; he met with the Jags on January 14. While Saleh being a coveted option after three sub-.500 Jets seasons could speak to this year’s thinner talent pool — the long-held perception, at least — Gang Green’s tumble after Woody Johnson‘s abrupt decision to fire his head coach five games into this season may also have helped the defense-minded coach’s stock. The Jets went from 2-3 under Saleh this year to a 5-12 finish. The team also finished worse with Aaron Rodgers as a 17-game starter than it did with Saleh coaching Zach Wilson; the Jets went 7-10 in 2022 and ’23.
The Jags and Saleh have a short history together as well. Saleh’s springboard to his 49ers DC opportunity came after he coached the Jags’ linebackers from 2014-16. While this was not exactly a memorable period for the franchise, as it finished with double-digit losses in each of those years, Saleh was hired during Shad Khan‘s ownership tenure.
The Jets rocketed from last place in scoring and total defense in Saleh’s first season (2021) to fourth in both categories in his second. The Wilson-Nathaniel Hackett partnership put the Jets’ defense in tougher spots in 2023, when they ranked 12th in scoring. That season still produced a fourth-place finish in total defense for a unit doomed by the team’s untenable QB situation. Saleh would walk into a better spot in Jacksonville, but it remains to be seen if his resume would warrant such a bump so soon after a firing. A Saleh hire would also place great importance on identifying a play-caller to further Trevor Lawrence‘s development.
Buccaneers OC Liam Coen has been closely tied to this job. Although he has less experience on the coordinator level than Saleh, the former Sean McVay lieutenant has been mentioned as a name to watch here. It would not surprise if the Tampa Bay play-caller books a second interview as well. Via PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, here is how the Jags’ process looks as of Monday afternoon:
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/18
- Liam Coen, offensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/15; early contender?
- Brian Flores, defensive coordinator (Vikings): Interviewed 1/17
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/11
- Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator (Raiders): Interviewed 1/11
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/11; hired by Bears
- Kliff Kingsbury, offensive coordinator (Commanders): Rumored candidate, won’t interview until after season
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed 1/16
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed 1/17
- Robert Saleh, former head coach (Jets): To conduct second interview 1/24
- Steve Spagnuolo, defensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/10
- Mike Vrabel, former head coach (Titans): Mentioned as candidate; hired by Patriots
Great. Hire a D minded person rather than figure out Trevor. As always Jags are a bumbling organization.
Hahahahaha. I’m sure you probably are the ones who hated the lions hiring Dan Campbell too right? Hey guess what! Head coaches CAN hire great play callers while they focus on the hundred different things coordinators don’t. (Ex: Ben johnson). If you need a video from Bill bellicheck speaking about this lmk
I didn’t hate the Campbell as a hire. Detroit needed something new & glad it has worked out. Saleh didn’t in NY. Whether or not TL is good or not is still debatable, but the front office hasn’t done him any favors. They ruined Blake B as well with bad management.
As a diehard jags fan, there is nothing more that I want then baalke gone. I was right about and predicted that both urban and pedersonwould not be successful when they were rumored here. Trevor Lawrence has actually played better than mainstream media knows. I won’t get into it all here, but has he been generational prospect we expected? Of course not. He needs to learn to hold onto the ball and not overthrow at beginning of the game. But have a bottom 5 cheap o line with the league worst center til this year, and having now his 3rd HC and OC in his first 5 years (4th HC counting interim the first year) is the true definition of a franchise failing a player. We didn’t help Blake but we didn’t conpletely fail him either. He was never accurate and that’s why he didn’t last anywhere else and why everyone thought it was a big reach us drafting him where we did. I wanted Saleh instead of pederson last time and I’d lean towards him as my top choice from this candidate pool, even if not as much as a few years ago
If you’re an up-and-coming OC, do you really want to attach yourself to a HC who has already been fired once?
Off the top of my head, I’d say it worked out well for those who worked for previously fired head coaches like Andy Reid, Bill bellichick, and Pete Carroll (not perfectly but enough to propel them to their own hc opportunity they later botched themselves – see Josh McDaniels for example)
And Google it to find this article and all these coaches were previously fired but had success as HC with new OCs. Especially guys like Mike Shanahan who has an extensive successful coaching tree:
link to yardbarker.com
Ever heard of offensive coordinators
The moment you get have 1 good offense season as a team your OC gets poached for a HC gig. Also, take a look to see how many defensive coaches won the SB in the last 20-25 years compared to offensive coaches and then for fun remove Bill Belichick from that list and recount them
Haha the argument of let’s not hire someone good because his coordinator may get poached down the road could quite possibly be the worst logic I’ve heard. According to rumors, there was one team I’ve heard had a similar mindset going into their last Hire and let’s just say they’re looking for a coach now and the other candidate is thriving. You gotta worry about winning first before worrying who may potentially poach a staff member.. so many staff don’t get poached btw even if good. Also, speaking of defensive coaches – is the goal to win a superbowl? Absolutely. But you’re telling me you wouldn’t take annual playoff worthy coaches like demeco ryans, Sean mcdermott, Tomlin, Vrabel, and Harbaugh but would take offensive minded coaches like Zac Taylor, Shane steichen, or Mike McDaniels? How did Josh McDaniels, Matt Nagy, Doug pederson and countless other offensive coaches do? The important thing is to get a leader who can hire good coordinators. Jags only just now had back to back winning seasons for like the first time in 20+ years. Let’s start with trying to have a winning record and make the playoffs in consecutive years before you worry about potentially losing a coordinator after 1 year..(which again only happens on the top teams not every team who has a good offensive year. Only a few leave and not always then either. Ben Johnson stayed a couple even and he’s been tjr hottest name for 2 years). Could not disagree with you more. Focus on winning first.
The argument is that a defensive HC is not good for long term success as offense rules the league and your offense will be gutted even if you find offensive success for a couple years. You mention Vrabel fail to remember their offense fell apart only 1 year after Arthur Smith left. Vrabel isnt annual playoff worthy. Tomlin is an offensive HC. Harbuagh was a ST coach but is generally well balanced enough to routinely attract the best OCs.
Listing bad offensive HCs doesnt mean that defensive head coaches are generally better than offensive ones. Offense runs the league, its 2025, not 1965. Saleh had a top 3 defense and had 7 wins to show for it btw so if you want to see wins now its not even like a top defense guarantees it.
I liked this spot for Johnson, but I don’t like it for Saleh. Why? Mostly, and I could be wrong, because Saleh seems too nice to have Baalke removed to take the job. Though one could make a good argument that there are good offensive pieces in Lawrence, Thomas, Etienne, and Engram (no guarantees, but with the right coaching they’ve had moments), there is a much weaker argument for defense there (Hines-Allen and Campbell, mostly).
I would love to see Saleh get another chance, but with Baalke as GM, I don’t think that this is it for him. Chances are he ends in San Fran without being hired here, and that (or as D.C. in Detroit) would probably be a better place to rebuild his stock.
Looking at the candidate list I think Flores might have the personality traits to get Baalke ousted but would he be the best coaching choice? If they really want a no nonsense candidate that will challenge Baalke they should probably ask Ron Rivera to come in for an interview.
Saleh is back with San Francisco ! Come on now!!
He will get this gig.