Week 17 was probably Robert Saleh’s final game as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator. Reports surfaced Sunday that Saleh would interview for the Falcons head coach opening, and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that report in his video conference with reporters after the team’s loss to Seattle in the season finale.
Saleh was a top candidate for the Browns job last season, and this year despite the team’s struggles, he continued to acquit himself well by helping an injury-riddled 49ers defense continue to play at a high level for all 17 weeks.
One of the keys to Saleh’s candidacy is his ability to lead, and the team’s defensive effort down the stretch, even after they’d been eliminated from the playoff picture, was a credit to him in that area. The 49ers in Week 16 held the Cardinals to just 12 points — a season-low for Arizona. Then in Week 17, they held Seattle to six points through three quarters before allowing a couple of late scores.
The 49ers would love to keep Saleh around, but it’s hard to imagine he’ll not be among the head coaches hired in this cycle.
