'I Love It Here,' 49ers DC Robert Saleh Responds to NFL Rumors About HC 'Desire'

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh told ESPN's Nick Wagoner he's not "in a hurry" to return to head coaching amid rumors the former New York Jets leader could be hired away from the Bay Area ahead of the 2026 season.

"Everyone wants to be at the top of their profession, and they want to succeed at that just to see how far they can go and what they can achieve," Saleh told Wagoner. "Is my desire to get to the top of the profession and hoist the Lombardi one day? Absolutely. Am I in a hurry? No, I love it here. Obviously, the desire is there, but at the same time, it's not desperation."

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The coordinator's comments come after the 49ers (10-4) officially clinched a playoff spot following the Detroit Lions' loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

Saleh, who is in his second stint as the Niners' DC, previously spent four seasons guiding the team's defense from 2017 to 2020.

He was then hired by the Jets ahead of the 2021 season and went on to lead the team to 20-36 record before he was dismissed five games into the 2024 campaign.

The 49ers ranked 28th in the NFL in points allowed per game during their 2024 campaign without Saleh. Since he returned to San Francisco in January 2025, the defense improved to rank 11th in points per game through Week 15.

This isn't the first time this season Saleh has acknowledged a desire to eventually resume head coaching. When asked about his career aspirations by Josina Anderson in a Dec. 4 episode of E.N.N: The Exhibit, Saleh said "we all want to get the top of our profession."

"It's not a secret. We all want to be at the top of our profession, and show that we can achieve greatness at the top of our profession," Saleh told Anderson.

Saleh was interviewed as a candidate for open head coaching positions with the Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars last offseason, per CBS Sports.

The Tennessee Titans and New York Giants are the only NFL teams with open head coaching jobs as of Week 16, although multiple franchise outside of playoff contention including the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons could potentially have vacancies this winter.

Saleh could potentially get a look from some of these teams after the 49ers' playoff run. ESPN's Dan Graziano reported earlier this month that multiple people around the league told him "NFL head coaching experience will be a priority for some of the teams looking for new coaches."