San Francisco's defensive coordinator is expected to garner heavy interest for the 2026 coaching cycle.
Robert Saleh’s return to the NFL head coaching conversation felt inevitable, and now it’s official. The Arizona Cardinals have requested a head coaching interview with the San Francisco 49ers' defensive coordinator, according to Jordan Schultz, officially kicking off Saleh’s interview cycle.
With other teams expected to follow, including the Las Vegas Raiders, Saleh has once again positioned himself as one of the most intriguing candidates on the market.
Saleh returned to San Francisco this past offseason after a tumultuous stint as head coach of the New York Jets from 2021 to 2024. His tenure ended abruptly midway through the 2024 season, but the league never fully turned its back on him.
Even before landing with the 49ers, Saleh drew interest from several teams, interviewing with the Jaguars, Raiders, and Cowboys last offseason before Jacksonville ultimately hired Liam Coen.
Instead of settling for the wrong situation, Saleh chose to reset his value as a coordinator, signing a deal that placed him among the NFL’s highest-paid assistants.
That move has aged well. The 49ers’ defense spent much of the season in survival mode, ravaged by injuries at nearly every level. Stars like Fred Warner and Nick Bosa were sidelined, while the defensive line lost multiple contributors, including first-round rookie Mykel Williams.
On paper, it was the type of unit destined to collapse.
It never did. Despite the personnel issues, San Francisco consistently found ways to limit scoring, remaining among the league’s top defenses in points allowed for much of the year.
The numbers weren’t flashy, but the results were real, reinforcing Saleh’s reputation as a coach who can maximize what he has and keep a locker room engaged through adversity.
Now, with the Cardinals searching for direction after parting ways with Jonathan Gannon, Saleh represents a chance at stability and leadership.
Arizona’s roster is still a work in progress, but the organization appears eager to find a coach capable of building a culture rather than chasing short-term fixes.
The Raiders present a different challenge. Las Vegas has cycled through coaches at an alarming rate, and Saleh is well aware that his next opportunity may be his last chance to prove he belongs as a head coach.
That makes organizational alignment critical. Still, there are reasons the Raiders’ opening could be appealing.
The increased influence of Tom Brady has sparked optimism that a long-term vision and stability may finally be emerging.
From a football standpoint, Saleh could also play a key role in repairing tensions with defensive star Maxx Crosby.
His defensive background and player-first leadership style could help reestablish trust and give the Raiders a clear identity on that side of the ball.
Saleh hasn’t rushed this process before, and he likely won’t now. But with interviews lining up and momentum building, his second shot at being an NFL head coach may be closer than ever.