The Atlanta Falcons interviewed San Sale 49ers defense coordinator Robert Saleh on Monday. The interviews were conducted remotely.
The Hawks interviewed Eric Bieniemy, the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive coordinator, earlier in the day.
Saleh is busy with his fourth season as the 49ers’ defense coordinator. Under Saleh in 2020, San Francisco’s defense was ranked No. 5 in the league in the total number of offenses allowed per game (314.4), the fourth in the passing average (207.9), and is equal to the seventh in the total chase yard per game (106.4)) and allows 24.4 points per game. The 49ers also have 20 takeaways this season, despite a number of important injuries on the side of the ball.
The 49ers, who won the NFC Championship and advanced to Super Bowl LIV in 2019, finished the year in second place overall and No. 8 in defense.
Before joining San Francisco’s coaching staff, Saleh spent three seasons as Jacksonville Jaguars’ lineout coach from 2014-16. Prior to that, he was a defensive quality control coach at the Seattle Seahawks from 2011-13. Saleh’s coaching career began in Houston, where he was a coaching center, defensive assistant and assistant coach for the Texans from 2005 to 2010.
Starting Monday, personal interviews can begin for positions as head coach and general manager with candidates who are not current NFL club employees, or whose club is not participating in the national season.
Virtual interviews for all head coaching positions can begin with coaches whose clubs say goodbye in the first week of the playoffs and can continue with the closing of game card games on January 10th.
Virtual interviews for high-level club workers and secondary positions for executive football can begin. Once a candidate’s employer club is out of the playoffs, personal interviews can begin.