49ers' Kyle Shanahan has frontrunner for open DC job after Titans hired Robert Saleh

The San Francisco 49ers are losing a big coach this offseason, as Robert Saleh, the defensive coordinator, is leaving to join the Tennessee Titans as their head coach.

It's the second time that the 49ers have lost Saleh in the last five years, as he went to the New York Jets not long ago, and now, leaves the 49ers' DC job once more.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the 49ers and head coach Kyle Shanahan have a clear favorite for the open coordinator job. This top candidate is an in-house name, and the former head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars is Gus Bradley.

49ers have clear top choice for Robert Saleh's replacement at DC

"Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed senior assistant Gus Bradley is a strong candidate for the job, calling him the 'obvious' choice," Fowler reports.

This is a significant bit of news, as the 49ers' defensive coordinator job will be an important one going forward. After the disaster that was 2025, the 49ers need a better unit in 2026 and beyond.

Based on this report from Fowler, the favorite looks to be Bradley, the former Jaguars head coach and long-time defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers and Indianapolis Colts.

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He's currently an assistant on the defensive side of the ball, and as Shanahan notes, is a clear choice to replace Saleh.

The 59-year-old has a lot of NFL experience, and at times during his coaching tenure, his defenses have been highly ranked. He has some down years, but overall, is a quality coaching candidate for the DC job.

This report from Fowler indicates that Bradley is likely the favorite to land the DC job after Saleh's departure, though Saleh might try to bring him to Tennessee to be the Titans DC.

But, for now, Bradley is the favorite, and barring a surprising Titans pursuit, Shanahan is expected to go with Bradley as the new defensive coordinator for 2026 and beyond.

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