5 Things to Know About Robert Saleh's Accusation Against Jaguars Coach Liam Coen

While Week 4 featured plenty of storylines, one of the most intriguing involved San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen.

The two men shared a heated exchange after Jacksonville's 26-21 win over the 49ers, and for anyone who was surprised by it, there is some backstory. Coen, it would seem, didn't appreciate being called out publicly for by Saleh for "legally" stealing signals.

While the term "signal stealing" might conjure thoughts of the New England Patriots' 2007 Spygate scandal, this situation isn't the same. The Patriots were accused of taping opponents' signals from an unauthorized location, while Saleh didn't accuse Coen of doing anything illegal.

This doesn't mean that one of the coaches involved didn't break an unspoken rule or that things weren't personal. Fans can judge for themselves who, if anyone, was in the wrong, but here are a few things that everyone should know.

There Was No Cheating Accusation

AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

Anyone who has been in a competitive environment knows it's in poor taste to accuse someone of cheating without legitimate proof. That's why some fans may view Saleh's comments as out of line, or possibly even a case of sour grapes.

Saleh was fired from his first head coaching opportunity, while Coen's is off to a solid start.

It's important to know, though, that Saleh didn't accuse Coen or the Jaguars of cheating. He actually emphasized that the Jags steal signals legally and simply excel at it.

"Liam Coen and his staff coming from Minnesota, they got legally a really advanced signal stealing system where they always find a way to put themselves in an advantageous situation," Saleh told reporters. "They do a great job of it. They formation you to just try to find any nugget they can."

While it may be jarring to hear "signal stealing" during an NFL press conference, it didn't feel like Saleh was trying to make some explosive revelation. It felt more like he was simply discussing a challenge that Jacksonville presented.

"We have to be great with our signals, be great with our communication to combat some of those tells we might give on the field."

The reality is that all NFL teams steal signals to some degree.

There's Nothing Illegal About Signal-Stealing If Done By the Rules

AP Photo/Abbie Parr

Then-Cardinals DL coach Matt Burke signals to his team on Oct. 30, 2022

The Spygate controversy stemmed from the Patriots' taping of opposing sidelines from unauthorized locations.

Using broadcast film and/or All-22 film to dissect sideline signals and on-field player gestures is not illegal—a fact Sports Illustrated's Connor Orr recently discussed with several unnamed NFL coaches:

"Now, as to what these coaches can glean, several current and recent NFL coaches mentioned that sign-stealing processes encompass noticing how an opposing defense reacts to or identifies your formations. Next, you're going to focus on any tape that includes a defender's hand signal and relate it to the corresponding coverage. ...Coaches also pore over television tape and database any words that are picked up on the field microphones. When combined, this can begin to tell the story of a unit's habits over the course of a season."

Stealing defensive signals is something that every NFL team does—though, clearly, some teams are better at it than others. Saleh didn't suggest the Jags do anything that any other franchise doesn't.

As 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said, Saleh may have simply been pointing out how well Coen and his staff do it.

"[Saleh] was trying to give them a compliment," Shanahan told reporters ahead of Sunday's game.

Now, it's probably a stretch to think Saleh was simply publicly praising an upcoming opponent. However, he may still have had a fairly innocent reason for stirring the proverbial pot.

It's No Secret That Signal-Stealing Exists

AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell

There's nothing nefarious about using every advantage to try to win in the NFL.

Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame, for example, discussed how prevalent signal-stealing is in the NFC North in a piece that published before the start of the season, long before Saleh brought the practice back into the spotlight.

And while decoding signals can help, it probably doesn't give teams the major advantage it might in college football, where plays are typically relayed from the sideline.

Helmet radio communications allow for NFL teams to call plays without the use of signals—coaches are frequently spotted covering their mouths with play sheets so that the calls themselves can't be stolen. However, headset communication is cut off when the play clock is down to 15 seconds or when the ball is snapped, whichever comes first.

This means that sideline and on-field hand signals are often reactionary, used to adjust to a particular alignment, or used primarily in up-tempo situations. Advantages can be gained by stealing a team's signals, but no one is going to predict an entire game plan based on gestures alone.

And since signal-stealing is no secret, coaches often counter with fake signals.

"We all have fake signals and calls to f--k with one another," one coach told Orr.

The "you know that I know that you know" nature of NFL signaling and sign-stealing made it completely unnecessary, unless he was trying to send a message to Coen in the Jaguars. That message may have simply been to not trust the signals they see from San Francisco.

If Saleh Was Taking a Shot, It Probably Wasn't at Coen

Winslow Townson/AP Images for Panini

Anyone who believes Saleh didn't bring up signal-stealing to play mind games with the Jaguars may believe it was a malicious attempt to undercut an opposing coach.

"Sure, his offenses have had success, but..."

If that's indeed the case, though, Saleh may not have been taking a shot at Coen personally. The two do have a shared history, but it isn't extensive.

During Saleh's first stint as San Francisco's defensive coordinator (2017-2020), Coen spent two years as the Los Angeles Rams' assistant receivers coach and one as their assistant quarterbacks coach.

When Coen became the Rams' offensive coordinator in 2022, Saleh was the head coach of the New York jets.

It's worth noting, though, that Saleh didn't mention Coen exclusively. He also mentioned "his staff coming from Minnesota," which likely refers to Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, who was the Vikings assistant offensive coordinator last season.

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell spent two seasons as the Rams offensive coordinator under Sean McVay—two coaches who were also mentioned by Saleh:

"That whole entire tree. From Sean [McVay], to Kevin O'Connell, to all those guys, they all do it. So, there's challenges," Saleh said, per Orr.

If Saleh was actually trying to take a shot at all, it may have been at McVay and the Rams. That would make a lot more sense since Los Angeles is a bitter division rival that has been to two Super Bowls and won one since the start of Saleh's first stint in San Francisco.

Or maybe Saleh is simply suggesting that the coaches we consider offensive gurus might, in reality, be elite code-crackers—and that the job of a defensive NFL coach is really, really hard.

The Media (And Coen) Probably Blew Things Out of Proportion

AP Photo/John Raoux

Liam Coen

There's no denying the fact that Saleh's comments raised a few eyebrows before Sunday's game, but it seemed like the cascade of signal-stealing-related headlines made a bigger deal out of them than either coaching staff.

Coen, for his part, brushed off the concept of signal-stealing as normal pre-game preparation.

"We have kind of typically, by formation, by game plan, by working really hard as a coaching staff throughout the week, trying to get indicators by your formation, motions, shifts, pre-snap," Coen said, per Saad Yousuf of The Athletic. "Those are the things you're trying to do as a coach."

Fans may need the occasional reminder that signal-stealing occurs, but coaches and players know it is prevalent.

"Last season, [Green Bay Packers pass-rusher Rashan] Gary wouldn't cop to which play, but says he notched a sack based on one of these stolen signs," Verderame wrote.

The media made sign-stealing a story, though it likely would have died if not for that post-game exchange between coaches—one seemingly instigated, unnecessarily, by Coen.

"Keep my name out of your mouth," Coen appeared to say after the game—while, it would seem, pretending he needed to be restrained by guard Robert Hainsey:

Saleh's comments might be a minor topic of conversation this week, especially since the Jaguars won, but the hype probably would have died down if not for Coen's postgame reaction.

"Don't think you should be that sensitive about it," Shanahan told reporters after the game.

Considering every team steals signals, every player and coach knows about it, and it's all above board, Shanahan's probably right. No one should be overly sensitive or surprised when it gets brought up.