Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan expressed confidence that his defensive coordinator, Robert Saleh, would do well in any coach job interview. Saleh was interviewed by the Detroit Lions on Thursday, a job for which many consider him the favorite. An NFL source suggests that the particular interview may not have gone as well as Shanahan expected or Saleh expected.
“Saleh did not do very well in the Detroit interview, I was told. And it is not difficult to get the job,” said Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle during a radio interview with Adam Clanton, said in an interview with SportsTalk 790 Adam Clanton and Adam Wexler (via Detroit Sports Nation, h / t to Patrick Tulini)
There is much to be interpreted from this statement. Did the interview go wrong because Saleh doesn’t necessarily fit what the Lions’ trusted team is looking for or imagining for his club? Or Saleh interviewed badly, which may seem less likely to some.
There is a conflicting report, however, stating that the interview went well.
“According to a well-positioned source, the Detroit Lions interview with 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was ‘great’. However, Lions have not yet made an offer,” said Jeff Lesson of 97.1 The Ticket (again , via Detroit Sports Nation).
A Lions editor for the Detroit Free Press, Dave Birkett, also stated that the Lions interview with Saleh was not as dire as Wilson suggests.
Many of you are asking about Robert Saleh this morning. The feedback I received was that your interview with Lions went well, they liked your presentation and the potential team.
– Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) January 9, 2021
Saleh has participated in three interviews so far. He also interviewed the Atlanta Falcons on Monday and the New York Jets on Friday. The coach is expected to speak with Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday. The only team with a head coach spot that didn’t make it to the 49ers over Saleh is the Houston Texans.
Meanwhile, coach Kyle Shanahan hopes he doesn’t have Saleh on the attack.
“I was very happy with what he did throughout the year,” said Shanahan after the 49ers lost in Week 17 to the Seattle Seahawks. “I would be very surprised if we didn’t lose him. I don’t know what’s wrong with people if they don’t hire him. I mean, he’s the best you can get and he knows more about football, three phases, and he’s going to sign the better team, knows about the players, knows what they are talking about, who does not know what they are talking about and also knows how to deal with people ”.
On Monday, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch confirmed that three teams have officially requested an interview with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. They are the Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars. While the first two were already known, the last was not. However, the Jaguars’ interest is not unexpected. Saleh will be a hot name as NFL teams with vacancies as a head coach seek to fill those roles. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated said Saleh would be interviewing Lions on Thursday. Coach Kyle Shanahan had previously said that his
Detroit Lions announced that the team has completed its interview with San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. #Lions completed an interview with the head coach with the following candidate: pic.twitter.com/djbwQtq2JK— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 7,
The interview with Robert Saleh has officially started. According to coach Kyle Shanahan, the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers is expected to virtually interview the Atlanta Falcons on Monday. By Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Saleh will interview the Detroit Lions on Thursday. Lions are planning to interview Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy today, interim coach Darrell Bevell on Tuesday and 49ers DC Robert Saleh on Thursday for his position at HC, I was told.