Basically all season, it has seemed like San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh could be just one-and-done with the team. However, his recent comments suggest he is going to be patient with his next head coaching opportunity.
Saleh told ESPN that while it is his aspiration to be a head coach again someday, he is not in any sort of rush as he loves it in San Francisco.
This is great news for 49ers fans.
Now, this does not mean Saleh is certainly going to come back as defensive coordinator next season. Yet, it at least gives hope he will not depart the squad again unless he is presented with an ideal opportunity.
He learned from his time as head coach of the New York Jets what it is like to be with a dysfunctional organization run by a bad owner. Chances are he does not want a repeat of that sort of experience.
That means he may say no to an opportunity with the Tenessee Titans or Las Vegas Raiders, two organizations that have been run poorly for a very long time.
But maybe if the Green Bay Packers did something unexpected like fire head coach Matt LaFleur, whose job security has come into question, and wanted Saleh to replace him, he would have a lot harder time saying no to an opportunity like that.
The Arizona Cardinals could be another team looking for a head coach, too, if they decide to move on from Jonathan Gannon. Yet, that situation would be more of a rebuild, which Saleh may not like.
Selfishly, the Niners have to be hoping that the right opportunity does not materialize. The job that Saleh has done this season on defense is nothing short of remarkable. To lose both Nick Bosa and Fred Warner and have the defense remain competitive speaks volumes to the job Saleh and his coaching staff have done.
Imagine if the 49ers get both Warner and Bosa back next season alongside the young group that has had to hold down the fort this season. That iteration of the defense could potentially be dangerous if Saleh is still at the helm. Maybe it could even rival the 2019 defense that got the team to the Super Bowl.
We'll see how things play out for Saleh, but the fact that he does not seem eager to rush into the first head coaching opportunity that may come his way suggests his exit from San Francisco may not be as imminent as once thought.