The list of replacements for the 49ers for defense coordinator Robert Saleh, should he get a job as head coach, has shrunk by one. Saleh was a popular contender this off-season after interviewing at least five teams.
Former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn joins the Dallas Cowboys as their defensive coordinator after firing Mike Nolan after a disastrous 2020 campaign.
Quinn was the Seahawks’ defense coordinator in 2013 and 2014 when they came second in both years. They were also third in yards in ’13 and first in yards in ’14. He took over as the Falcons’ head coach in 2015, where he helped guide Atlanta to Super Bowl LI. Kyle Shanahan, head coach of the 49ers, was his offensive coordinator for the first two years.
His experience running the defensive schedule Saleh used during his first four seasons with the 49ers, combined with his familiarity with Shanahan, made him a popular name among coaches who might take over at DC in San Francisco.