Don’t expect 49ers Robert Saleh to jump at first head coaching opportunity

SANTA CLARA — It’s not worth fretting over the possible loss of 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh during the next NFL head coaching cycle.

Saleh certainly isn’t. He’s been through the process twice, once before he got the Jets job, and last offseason when he spoke with Jacksonville, Las Vegas and Dallas. With the 49ers at 11-4 and still with a chance to get the top seed and even host Super Bowl LX, it’s not the forefront of his mind.

“We’ve got the playoffs,” Saleh said Wednesday as the 49ers began preparations to host the Chicago Bears (11-4) Sunday night at Levi’s Stadium. “I hope we’ve got five more home games.”

He told ESPN recently he aspires to be a head coach again.

“The desire is there,” Saleh said. “But at the same time, it’s not desperation.”

Having gone 20-36 with the New York Jets, a long-running disaster, before being fired four games into the 2024 season, Saleh understands the value of a stable organization. And part of the reason coaching jobs become available is some level of instability.

The New York Giants (3-12) and Tennessee Titans (2-13) have interim coaches in Mike Kafka and Mike McCoy and neither is expected to retain the position.

There are potential openings in Arizona, where Jonathan Gannon is 3-12, Cleveland, where Kevin Stefanski is 3-12, Las Vegas, where Pete Carroll is 2-13, and Miami, where Mike McDaniel is 6-9.

After the Jets experience under owner Woody Johnson, none of those may sound appealing to Saleh for his second crack at being a head coach.

It could be a different story if any one of the NFL coaching blue bloods decide to hang it up. Baltimore’s John Harbaugh and Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin are both in their 18th seasons and the Chiefs Andy’ Reid is in Year 13 after 14 years with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Saleh is the 49ers’ fourth defensive coordinator in the last four seasons, following DeMeco Ryans, Steve Wilks and Sorensen.

Saleh, of course, if focused on the task at hand before answering the phone for potential suitors.

Even if Saleh does leave, it’s conceivable the 49ers have had a plan in place all along for his departure when Gus Bradley joined the staff as the assistant head coach/defense. Bradley and Saleh have a long history together. Saleh was a quality control coach in Seattle in 2011 when Bradley was defensive coordinator. When Bradley was named head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014, Saleh joined him as linebackers coach.

Bradley has extensive experience as a defensive coordinator with the Colts, Raiders and Chargers and has served as a sounding board for Saleh all season.

“Gus is like a second pops to me. He lights up the room.,” Saleh said. “He unifies buildings, he unifies people. People gravitate to his personality and infectious smile. I’ve  always said the greatest compliment a person can receive is when you’re around that person, you want to be a better person. That’s Gus.”

Bradley’s motivational style goes beyond fundamentals and scheme. He speaks to the 49ers the night before the game, talks Shanahan said are totally random and can range from going fishing with his son, a women getting pulled over in Alabama or going on amusement park rides, the the end of the story getting back to the task at hand the next day.

Shanahan said the 49ers, winners of five straight, haven’t lost since Bradley began giving his talks.

“I asked Gus to do one of his stories, it hit, the guys loved it,” Shanahan said. “I kind of stick with thins that work, and he’s undefeated. I don’t take people off when they’re on a heater.”

Tight end George Kittle pointed to the hires of Saleh and Bradley as making a difference in 2025 when Sorensen ran the defense and Brandon Staley was the assistant head coach/defense.

“I love Robert Saleh, the energy and fire that he brings every day,” Kittle said. “And Gus Bradley, he gives the greatest pump-up speeches the night before every game. They don’t really have anything to do with football. They’re fun with a good point at the end. I view him similar to me, where he loves the game of football, has a great time coaching it and loves every single day, win or lose.  I think that bleeds into the entire office and is incredibly helpful.”

Running back Christian McCaffery said of Bradley “He’s the most unbelievable speaker I’ve ever heard when it comes to fun, pump speeches” but declined to give specifics.

“I think that’s one of those things where if you know, you know, and you’ve kind of got to experience it fo youself to really understand it.”

Injury update

Kittle “has a chance” according to Shanahan to face Chicago Sunday night. Kittle didn’t finish the game with an ankle sprain that got progressively worse in a game in which he caught seven passes for 115 yards and a touchdown.

Kittle did not participate in what Shanahan called a “half speed” practice Wednesday. Neither did Yetur Gross-Matos (knee, maintenance). Cornerback Renardo Green (neck) was limited after missing the Indianapolis game, as was wide receiver Ricky Pearsall Jr. (knee), an indication he could be good to go against the Bears after not traveling to Indianapolis.

Gifford’s reaction

Linebacker Luke Gifford was elated at his selection to the 2026 Pro Bowl Games along with McCaffery, Kittle, left tackle Trent Williams, fullback Kyle Juszczyk and long-snapper Jon Weeks, with return specialist Skyy Moore as an alternate.

Gifford got the word from special teams coordinator Brant Boyer, and felt he had a shot based on postgame conversations with other special teams players around the league.

“We don’t have a ton of scheme, but what we do is play fast and cut it loose,” Gifford said. “That’s been (Boyer’s) message since he got here. No matter what we’re going to go gas pedal down as fast as we can and play violent and physical and that’s kind of our M.O.”

Notable

— Linebacker Eric Kendricks, a practice squad elevation, looked good in his 10 snaps and had no recurrence of the calf injury that slowed him upon arrival to the 49ers on Nov. 26, Shanahan said.

— Shanahan said running back Jordan James, a fifth-round draft pick out of Oregon, was deserving of being active against Indianapolis based on the past few weeks of practice but wasn’t sure if he would be up against Chicago.

— Wayward wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk posted an apology on his Youtube channel apologizing for a recent video which he was apparently driving at an excessive speed on Tasman Ave. past Levi’s Stadium, although his face was never shown in the clip.

“Sorry y’all, my car content won’t come with speeding anymore. Was praying with my son tonight and wouldn’t want anybody else to miss out on an opportunity to do the same with their loved ones! My apologies.”