Robert Saleh might get another crack at being an NFL head coach. The former Jets leader was fired last year after three-plus seasons in New York, a move many around the league viewed as premature.
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Now back with the 49ers as defensive coordinator, Saleh is rebuilding momentum, and one longtime NFL reporter believes it could lead to a new opportunity in 2026.
Saleh returned to San Francisco this season, resuming the role that first launched him into the head coach conversation back in 2017 through 2020. That earlier run as Kyle Shanahan's defensive coordinator helped propel the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance and ultimately landed Saleh the Jets job.
In his latest Sports Illustrated mailbag, Albert Breer wrote that he expects Saleh to "elicit interest" from teams searching for a head coach. One possibility he mentioned is the New York Giants.
"I think Saleh is at least going to elicit interest, and may well land a job," Breer wrote. "He'll interview well, he's very close with a lot of the Shanahan-McVay tree offensive coaches, so finding a good OC won't be a chore.
"And he'll be able to energize a franchise that's fallen on hard times. I could see the Titans or the Giants taking a long look at him."
Saleh went 20-36 with the Jets and was dismissed last year after a 2-3 start. The timing surprised many, as Aaron Rodgers was still recovering from a torn Achilles and had not yet returned to form.
Team owner Woody Johnson felt the roster had underachieved, but the Jets then finished 3-9 under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich.
This season has only strengthened the argument that Saleh was not the problem. The Jets are 2-8 under new head coach Aaron Glenn and have looked outmatched most weeks.
Saleh is only 46, and there were signs players did not want him fired in New York. With his track record on defense and strong relationships across the Shanahan-McVay coaching tree, it makes sense that another team could offer him a second shot.
