That decision came after Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen pulled himself out of contention for their vacant head coach position. Coen had been considered the favorite and his withdrawal followed reports that now Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson did not like the setup in Jacksonville.

Saleh, who was fired in October as the New York Jets head coach five games into his fourth season, generated interest on the head-coaching front and was seen as one of the frontrunners for the Jacksonville Jaguars job. He also interviewed with the Las Vegas Raiders and Dallas Cowboys.

In the wake of Robert Saleh becoming the favorite to land the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching job, the San Francisco 49ers are considering alternative options amidst their defensive coordinator search.