The 49ers are fully committed to reuniting Robert Saleh.
The former New York Jets head coach has an offer from San Francisco to become the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the NFL, according to Matt Burrows of The Athletic.
“I think it's now clear whether it's really Saleh or bankruptcy, because… [the 49ers] I haven’t really worked with anyone else that much,” Burroughs said. “49ers +/-” Podcast with Tim Kawakami. “And I've already heard that they told Saleh, 'If you sign with us, we'll make you the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the entire country.' Now it's just a matter of waiting for Saleh.”
Saleh is currently in the running for the new head coaching job after being fired by the Jets in October, attracting interest from the Jaguars, Raiders and Cowboys.
As Burrows noted, the 49ers are expected to wait and see if Saleh takes the head coaching job or another position elsewhere before moving on to another candidate.
Before heading to the Jets in 2021, Saleh served as the 49ers' defensive coordinator from 2017-20 under head coach Kyle Shanahan.
The 49ers have been searching for his replacement ever since his departure.
After the 2021 season, Saleh's successor, DeMeko Ryans, became the Texans' head coach.
The team welcomed Steve Wilkes in 2023, and Nick Sorensen was scheduled to take over as coach after a disappointing defensive performance last season.
The 49ers have conducted only one other confirmed interview for the position. It was an interview with Lions defensive passing game coordinator DeShea Townsend.
San Francisco was one of the most disappointing teams in the 2024 season, finishing last in the NFC West with 6 wins and 11 losses, missing the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.
