The San Francisco 49ers are bracing for another major staff change, with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh set to become the Tennessee Titans’ next head coach, according to multiple reports.
From a Niners news standpoint, the big question shifts quickly from where Saleh is going to who replaces him, and how Kyle Shanahan keeps continuity on a defense that dealt with constant moving parts all season.
Saleh’s expected move comes immediately after San Francisco’s season ended with a 41-6 divisional-round loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and it would mark the second time Saleh has left a 49ers defensive coordinator role for an NFL head-coaching opportunity.
49ers now must find their next defensive play-caller
This is not new territory for Shanahan. Shanahan has changed defensive coordinators repeatedly in recent years, and this development forces another pivot at a critical time in the calendar, right as postseason evaluations and offseason planning ramp up.
If the Titans finalize the hire, there’s also a practical side to the move for 49ers news watchers: San Francisco won’t receive draft-pick compensation under the league’s minority-hiring incentive rules in this specific situation, as a recent Mercury News story explained.
Raheem Morris, Jim Schwartz, K.J. Wright: Names to Watc
Inman also listed other candidates who could enter the conversation if the 49ers widen the search: Raheem Morris, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, and K.J. Wright, “who impressed as a defensive quality control coach and linebackers specialist for the 49ers,” according to Inman.
That group includes experienced defensive minds with play-calling backgrounds and different schematic flavors, options that could appeal if Shanahan decides he wants a sharper philosophical shift rather than a plug-and-play replacement.
Gus Bradley emerges as the most logical in-house option
The most straightforward replacement name to watch is Gus Bradley.
Inman reported that Bradley is viewed locally as the most likely candidate to take over the defense after arriving on Shanahan’s staff and carrying a visible leadership role. If the 49ers want stability – same terminology, similar structure, minimal reset for a roster that’s already learning on the fly – Bradley checks obvious boxes.
That would also fit what national reporting has suggested about the team’s planning: the San Francisco Chronicle described Bradley’s presence as a potential succession plan if Saleh left quickly.
49ers Next DC: Raheem Morris, Jim Schwartz, K.J. Wright – Names to Watch
Inman also listed other candidates who could enter the conversation if the 49ers widen the search: Raheem Morris, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, and K.J. Wright, “who impressed as a defensive quality control coach and linebackers specialist for the 49ers,” according to Inman.
That group includes experienced defensive minds with play-calling backgrounds and different schematic flavors, options that could appeal if Shanahan decides he wants a sharper philosophical shift rather than a plug-and-play replacement.
Why Saleh’s departure stings for the 49ers right now
Even beyond the X’s and O’s, San Francisco’s players spoke to the value of Saleh’s presence this season, per Inman.
Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir and defensive end Mykel Williams each described how Saleh’s energy and teaching style helped them grow, the Mercury News reported. That matters because the 49ers have invested heavily in developing young defenders, and the next coordinator will inherit that same development mandate immediately.
For the 49ers, the next 48-72 hours of this story are about one thing: who Shanahan trusts to run the defense in 2026, and whether that hire is built for continuity or for a reset.
Robert Saleh’s 49ers News Triggers Big Question: Who Calls the Defense Next?