5 NFL coordinators poised to be first-time head coaches

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh should be an NFL head coach right now. His defense was sensational a year ago, as the 49ers went from having the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft to representing the NFC in Super Bowl 55 in the same calendar year. It helps that the No. 2 overall became defensive end Joey Bosa, but Saleh deserves a ton of credit.

The only job that seemed all that interested in Saleh’s services as a head coach was the Cleveland Browns that ultimately went to Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski. Though not taking or getting the Cleveland job is fine, we have to believe Saleh will get another shot to be an NFL head coach during the next offseason cycle.

Frankly, we can’t expect the 49ers defense to be every bit as good as it was a year ago. While high-octane offenses are sustainable, it is incredibly difficult to keep the same defensive intensity year in and year out. While that could be problematic for Saleh getting his next run of head-coaching interviews, let’s use what happened to Mike Vrabel as an example.

The former Houston Texans defensive coordinator actually saw his defense regress the year before he was hired as the Tennessee Titans head coach. Though he is only entering year three on the job, it seems that the Titans hit a home run with that hire, as Tennessee was one game away from the Super Bowl a year ago. Saleh could be the next Vrabel as an NFL head coach.