The San Francisco 49ers appear to have their sites set on former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as their No. 1 option in their search for a new defensive coordinator.

The San Francisco 49ers are on the search for a defensive coordinator once again after firing Nick Sorensen following just one season in that role.

The San Francisco 49ers could turn to a Bay Area native as their defensive coordinator for the 2025 season and beyond.

So far, the San Francisco 49ers have interviewed former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and Detroit Lions defensive passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend for the team's vacant defensive coordinator position.

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan gave Saleh his first defensive coordinator opportunity in 2017 during Shanahan’s first season at the helm in San Francisco. Saleh struggled out of the gate, but turned into one of the NFL’s best defensive coordinators and wound up getting a job as the Jets head coach after the 2020 campaign.

The San Francisco 49ers aren't wasting any time getting their defensive coordinator interviews done. On Thursday the team announced they completed two interviews for that position, including their former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh,

The 49ers announced the completion of interviews with former Jets' head coach Robert Saleh and Lions' passing game coordinator Deshea Townsend

The San Francisco 49ers search for their next defensive coordinator is currently underway, as the team has already conducted two interviews for the vacancy: former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and Detroit Lions defensive passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend.