The 49ers are seeking a replacement for Nick Sorensen, who was relieved of his duties following a disappointing 6-11 season that marked the team's first playoff absence since 2020.
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"As hard as it is for me to come to this conclusion, but I feel there's some options out there that can end up being a better option in the situation that we're in for our team," head coach Kyle Shanahan said this week.
Saleh previously served as the 49ers' defensive coordinator from 2017 to 2020. He played a significant part in the team reaching Super Bowl LIV. Saleh left San Francisco to take over as the Jets' head coach in 2021 but was dismissed on October 8, 2024, after a 2-3 start to the season.
Saleh is also in the mix for the Jacksonville Jaguars' head coaching vacancy.
Townsend, meanwhile, has been with the Lions for just one season. Before his current role, he served as the Jacksonville Jaguars' passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach from 2022 to 2023. Townsend was the secondary coach for the Chicago Bears from 2019 to 2021. He has also had coaching stints with the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, and Arizona Cardinals.
"I love the scheme that we've had here," Shanahan said. "I think it's one of the hardest things to go [against] when you've got the right guys in the right spots. But I do think people adjust to the schemes, and I think you have to adjust, too, depending on your personnel, and I think that was a tougher thing for us this year."
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