Less than 48 hours after firing Nick Sorensen as defensive coordinator, the 49ers have turned to someone familiar as a potential replacement.
The team has interviewed former New York Jets coach Robert Saleh and current Lions defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend for the opening.
Saleh coordinated the 49ers’ defense under coach Kyle Shanahan from 2017-2020 before being hired as the Jets’ head coach. His energetic presence brought vibrancy to the 49ers’ sideline and enlivened the defense, which drove the 2019 team to a Super Bowl appearance and finished top-five in fewest yards allowed each of his last two seasons.
His run with the Jets was much less successful, as he never won more than seven games in a season, and the signing of quarterback Aaron Rodgers — plus his subsequent injury — turned up the already bright lights in the New York media market. He was fired in October after starting the season 2-3, and was 20-36 overall as a head coach. Former 49ers linebacker Jeff Ulbrich — another potential candidate — took over for him on an interim basis and the team sputtered to a 5-12 record.
Saleh signed on with the Packers in late October as a consultant. Green Bay plays at the Eagles Sunday in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
Townsend is a former longtime Steelers cornerback who has managed secondaries across the NFL over the last decade. He has been a defensive backs coach for the Titans (2016-17), Giants (2018, assistant), Bears (2019-21), Jaguars (2022-23) and Lions (2024). The last two stops have included duties as the defensive passing game coordinator.
Detroit allowed the lowest passer rating (82.0) of any team in the NFL this season.
Townsend was able to interview despite Detroit’s placement in the playoffs because the Lions earned a first-round bye by winning the No. 1 seed in the NFC.