Sep 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen reacts from the sidelines during the second half against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

49ers Might Regret Giving Jaguars Bulletin Board Material

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By Andy Quach | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 8:10 AM ET

This Week 4 win for the Jacksonville Jaguars was much more than just a typical regular-season victory. Firstly, this team gave Liam Coen his first road dub of his young NFL head coaching career. They also did so by emerging triumphant on the West Coast for the first time in nearly a decade.

This win moved the Jaguars to 3-1 on the season on the same day that the Indianapolis Colts lost their first game of 2025, tying them in the AFC South standings. They've also deepened their lead over the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans, who faced each other in Week 4, with Houston claiming its first victory of the year, while Tennessee remained winless.

Those still weren't the only reasons that the Jaguars wanted to get this one. Ahead of the clash, Niners defensive coordinator Robert Saleh made some unsavory comments regarding Jacksonville's legal sign-stealing, a common practice in the NFL that usually isn't worth remarking on from the opposition.

Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Jaguars get revenge on Robert Saleh

Another interesting note about Robert Saleh's statements is the fact that he was in line to become the Jacksonville Jaguars' head coach before Liam Coen ultimately decided to take the job. Perhaps that's what drove the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator to say what he did.

To be fair to Head Coach Kyle Shanahan, he did elaborate on Jacksonville's "sign stealing," stating that it was a legal and common procedure in the NFL, although he also felt the need to say that his team doesn't practice it because they believe in "fairness" in every aspect. The media asked Shanahan if Saleh's comments were a strategic move from the team, to which he responded:

"I think that was Robert just saying that and talked along with it. That’s why I cleaned it up the next day."

When a follow-up question was raised about whether Shanahan did so to avoid "pissing" off the Jaguars, he said:

"Yeah, we don't totally care if coaches are .... off. I mean that has no effect on a game. So, I think Saleh was paying them a big compliment what they're good at doing. It's not illegal, he said there’s nothing illegal about it. I think when use the word sign stealing and what headlines get with those type of words, I think then the perception of that becomes wrong. I don't think that was the goal of what he wanted to do.”

Regardless of what Saleh or Shanahan's intentions were, it clearly got Head Coach Liam Coen and his Jaguars fired up. Jacksonville ended up winning, 26-21. Saleh might be inclined to blame the Jaguars' edge in sign-stealing, but ultimately, he and the 49ers were defeated.

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This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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