Given everything they’ve dealt with this season, what the San Francisco 49ers are doing right now deserves some credit. Despite multiple injuries, the Niners are on a four-game winning streak and sitting at 10–4. But even with wins stacking up, doubt around the defense is starting to surface. And when that happens, it’s usually not nothing.

Legendary quarterback Steve Young put words to that concern, pointing out the basics that separate good defenses from the ones that actually scare people.

“There’s obviously two things — stop the run and attack the quarterback. And we’re not doing either. When you think about predatory NFL defenses, they’re doing both. And both really well,” Young said.

San Francisco’s winning streak hasn’t changed how opponents see this unit. The 49ers have beaten the Cardinals, Panthers, Browns, and Titans by a combined 124–64, but none of those teams strike fear right now. The schedule stiffens from here, with the Colts, Bears, and Seahawks coming up. If there are cracks, they’re likely to show.

They already did, even in the win over Tennessee. A 13-point victory usually feels comfortable. This one didn’t. The Titans are one of the least productive offenses in the league, and San Francisco scored 37 points. A defense with real teeth would have put that game away early. Instead, it stayed closer than it should have.

Statistically, the run defense still looks passable—12th in rushing yards allowed. But with Mykel Williams and Tatum Bethune out, the edges are softening. Tennessee ran for 136 yards, despite being outgained by 124 yards overall. That’s not a good sign.

The secondary has been an issue all season, and the pass rush hasn’t helped. The 49ers are last in the league in sacks, with 16. Losing Nick Bosa and Fred Warner was always going to hurt, but this has gone beyond what most expected.

When that happens, attention turns to the coordinator. And sure enough, the noise around Robert Saleh’s future is getting louder.

Robert Saleh’s exit rumors gain serious ground

After the way the defense has looked most of the year, it’s natural to wonder if Robert Saleh’s seat is getting hot. That assumption makes sense on the surface. But the talk around Saleh isn’t really about him getting fired. It’s about him leaving on his own, and possibly moving up to take an HC role elsewhere.

The rumors floating around the league point less toward an exit in San Francisco and more toward a new job somewhere else. Saleh was the top name on The Ringer’s list of “Top 30 NFL Head Coaching Candidates for 2026,” and he was specifically mentioned as a possible option for the Dolphins if they decide to move on from Mike McDaniel after the season.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr, the Raiders made a real push to hire Saleh this past offseason. His name keeps coming up in league circles when people talk about who might replace Pete Carroll. For Carroll, there’s already speculation that co-owner Tom Brady could make a change.

Top Stories

Footage Surfaces of Puka Nacua’s Brother Samson Slapping Fan After Arrest for Allegedly Stealing Lakers’ Adou Thiero’s SUV

Browns & Kevin Stefanski Sign Ousted Cowboys Player For Shedeur Sanders Before Week 16 Bills Game

“RIP”: Prayers Pour In as Tom Brady’s Raiders Struck by Tragedy

“Rest in Peace”: Prayers Pour In From Dan Marino as Dolphins Legend Mourns Tragedy in South Florida Football

“What Do You Come Back For?”: Tony Gonzalez’s Strong Retirement Message to Travis Kelce Amid Chiefs’ Rebuild

None of this comes out of nowhere. The 49ers’ defense hasn’t been good. That part is obvious. But the context matters, and it tends to get lost. Saleh has been coaching from behind all year. The two players the defense was built around are gone. Key depth pieces disappeared too, including first-round pick Mykel Williams.

That’s not always something fans want to hear, but front offices do pay attention to it. Teams like Miami and Las Vegas, both dealing with their own instability, understand what it looks like when a coach is asked to hold things together without the pieces he was supposed to have.

Saleh’s situation in San Francisco may not be working right now, but that doesn’t mean the league has cooled on him. If anything, it feels like the opposite.