Robert Saleh has been head coach in the NFL once before—with little success. But the Arizona Cardinals apparently want to give him a chance.

The Arizona Cardinals apparently can imagine Robert Saleh as their new head coach. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Cardinals have asked their NFC West rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, for permission to interview Saleh. The 46-year-old has been the 49ers’ defensive coordinator again since this season, a position he previously held between 2017 and 2020. He became head coach for the first time in the 2021 season, joining the New York Jets. However, he was not happy in New York, and Saleh was unable to turn around the chronically unsuccessful franchise. After 20 wins and 36 losses, he was fired during the 2024 season.

Saleh to Arizona as Gannon’s successor?

In Arizona, Saleh could succeed the recently fired Jonathan Gannon, both of whom have expertise on the defensive side of the game. The direction would therefore remain similar if Saleh were to be hired. Saleh is experiencing an injury-plagued season with the Niners on his defensive side of the team, with several star players such as Nick Bosa and Fred Warner suffering serious injuries early on. This is one of the reasons why San Francisco’s defense is currently one of the weaker ones in the league.

However, Saleh is likely just one of several candidates on the Cardinals’ shortlist. According to reports, Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos, and his counterpart Anthony Weaver from the Miami Dolphins are also in the running.