One of the more intriguing candidates for the Eagles’ head coach opening is off the board.
Robert Saleh, the highly regarded 49ers defensive coordinator, has accepted the heading coaching position with the Jets, the team announced Thursday night.
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Saleh interviewed with the Eagles Wednesday evening at Jeff Lurie’s winter residence in Palm Beach, Fla., following his second interview with the Jets.
Saleh is the first coaching hire for Jets general manager Joe Douglas, who spent 2016 through 2019 as the Eagles’ vice president of player personnel. Saleh replaces Adam Gase, who was fired after going 9-23 in two years with the Jets.
Although more than a dozen coaches have been linked in some way to the Eagles’ opening, Saleh is one of only three candidates the Eagles are known to have interviewed. They also interviewed Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady and on Thursday were scheduled to interview Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
They’re scheduled to interview Patriots inside linebacker coach Jerod Mayo on Friday.
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Although Saleh is an strong candidate - the 49ers’ No. 2 defensive ranking during the 2019 Super Bowl season was the franchise’s best since 1997 - he was still considered a long shot to join the Eagles, considering Lurie’s overall preference for offensive coaches.
Saleh, 41, takes over a Jets team that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2010 and hasn’t won the AFC East since 2002.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan plans to promote former Eagle DeMeco Ryans from inside linebackers coach to defensive coordinator. Ryans, 36, spent the 2012 through 2015 seasons with the Eagles and is seen as a potential head coaching candidate in the near future.
Among the other candidates the Eagles have been linked to are Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Ohio State coach Ryan Day, Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley, Chiefs quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka and Eagles running backs coach Duce Staley.
With the Jets locking in Saleh and the Jaguars hiring former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, the Chargers, Falcons, Lions and Texans along with the Eagles are still in the market for a head coach.
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