Among the NFL teams seeking a new head coach during the early offseason, the Jacksonville Jaguars are prominent.
Following an impressive 2022 season that featured a miraculous comeback victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild-card round, the Jaguars experienced a big problem, finishing with a disappointing 4-13 record. This performance led to Doug Pederson’s dismissal after three seasons at the helm.
One of the most compelling candidates in the coaching search is Robert Saleh, the former head coach of the New York Jets. According to Zack Rosenblatt, there is growing excitement regarding Saleh’s potential to secure the Jaguars’ head coaching position.
Saleh’s coaching journey began as a long-time assistant in both the NFL and NCAA, culminating in his hiring as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator in 2017.
At that time, the 49ers were in the midst of a challenging rebuilding process. However, under Saleh’s guidance alongside head coach Kyle Shanahan, the team evolved into a defensive powerhouse, reaching the Super Bowl in just three seasons.
In 2021, he transitioned to the Jets, where he quickly transformed their defense into a formidable unit by his second season. Unfortunately, after a tough start to this year, he was relieved of his duties after just five games.
At 45, Saleh represents a youthful coaching prospect capable of developing alongside a Jaguars team in need of substantial improvement, including a bounce-back year from two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Josh Hines-Allen.
