Robert Saleh: AFC team uses 'advanced' sign-stealing system

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Robert Saleh accuses AFC team of using 'advanced' sign-stealing system

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Sep 27, 2025 9:04 AM ET

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh casually alleged on Thursday that the Jacksonville Jaguars make use of an elaborate but legal sign-stealing system against their opponents.

Saleh praised the Jaguars during his news conference, but dropped in that coach Liam Coen puts his players in a beneficial position because his teams are very good at picking up opposing signals. Saleh essentially said Sean McVay’s entire coaching tree had mastered the art.

“Liam and his staff, a couple guys coming from Minnesota, they got, legally, a really advanced signal stealing-type system where they always find a way to put themselves in an advantageous situation,” Saleh said. “They do a great job of it. They just try to find any nugget they can. So we’ve got to be great with our signals and be great with our communication to combat some of those tells we might give on the field.

“They’re almost elite in that regard. That whole entire tree — Sean, Kevin O’Connell and all those guys, they all do it.”

Robert Saleh says the Jaguars offense has a signal stealing system that’s legal:

“Liam Coen and his staff coming from Minnesota they got legally a really advanced signal stealing system where they always find a way to put themselves in an advantageous situation. They do a great… pic.twitter.com/XVJfPKhL2y
— Coach Yac (@Coach_Yac) September 25, 2025

Coen was an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Rams under McVay from 2018 to 2020, and again in 2022. His offensive coordinator, Grant Udinski, left O’Connell’s Minnesota Vikings staff to join Coen in Jacksonville.

Unsurprisingly, Coen was not interested in speaking about the claim on Friday, but did outline that studying formations and pre-snap motions is nothing unusual.

Liam Coen on #49ers DC Robert Saleh’s comments about “sign stealing” #Jaguars | #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/05cr4xIwta
— Mia O'Brien (@MiaOBrienTV) September 26, 2025

Sign-stealing in the NFL is really only illegal if they are obtained by filming an opponent in an unauthorized way. That is what the New England Patriots were accused of doing in the Spygate scandal. It is perfectly legal for teams to try to pick up opposing signals by using game tape and the all-22 film, which seems to be what Saleh is referring to here, as he went out of his way to emphasize that the Jaguars have not broken any rules.

The Jaguars have only scored 70 points in three games so far this season, which is not a particularly remarkable total. Perhaps Saleh is just trying to get in their heads ahead of Sunday’s matchup.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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