Jags’ Coen, 49ers’ Saleh separated amid heated postgame alternate

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The simmering stress over 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s comment earlier within the week concerning the Jaguars “legally stealing alerts” from opponents spilled onto the sector Sunday, as Saleh and Jacksonville coach Liam Coen needed to be separated amid a heated postgame alternate.

Saleh and Coen, two of the highest candidates for the Jaguars’ head teaching job within the offseason, didn’t initially greet one another at midfield after Jacksonville’s 26-21 win. However after a bit, Coen appeared to circle again towards Saleh because the scenario escalated.

The tv broadcast confirmed Saleh exchanging phrases with Jaguars offensive sort out Walker Little and being held again by a Niners workers member, whereas Jaguars heart Robert Hainsey restrained Coen.

In a video by Motion Sports activities Jax, the Jaguars’ official TV station, Coen may be heard saying, “Preserve my title out of your mouth.”

After Saleh and Coen went their separate methods, Coen twice declined to offer particulars when requested concerning the alternate.

“Not an enormous deal,” Coen mentioned. “Simply maintain that between us.” When requested a follow-up, Coen mentioned, “We’ll maintain that between us.”

Saleh is mostly not out there to reporters after video games, however Niners coach Kyle Shanahan was requested concerning the scenario and if he believed Saleh’s phrases concerning the sign stealing had been what sparked the back-and-forth with Coen.

Shanahan mentioned he tried to clear issues up Friday, when he mentioned repeatedly that Saleh was complimenting the Jaguars. He didn’t see their postgame alternate Sunday.

“I do not suppose you ought to be that delicate about it however it’s what it’s,” Shanahan mentioned. “I am not too frightened about it.”

Requested if he was involved that Saleh’s phrases had angered the Jaguars coaches, Shanahan demurred.

“We do not completely care if coaches are pissed off,” Shanahan mentioned. “It has no impact on the sport. I believe Saleh was paying them an enormous praise in what they’re good at doing. It isn’t unlawful. He mentioned (there’s) nothing unlawful about it. I believe you employ the phrase signal stealing and what the headlines get with these kind of phrases, I believe the notion of that turns into mistaken.”

Jaguars defensive finish Josh Hines-Allen mentioned he thought Saleh’s feedback might need fired Coen up a bit after the sport ended.

“I am really excited that he type of stored his composure all through the sport,” Hines-Allen mentioned. “After which, on the final minute, ‘Hey, do what you have to do.'”

The one 49ers participant within the space when the Saleh-Coen alternate occurred was defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos, who declined to supply particulars.

“That is between them two,” Gross-Matos mentioned. “I ain’t obtained nothing to do with it. I do not actually know what was occurring between them.”

Saleh first talked about that the Jaguars are good at sign stealing throughout his weekly Thursday information convention, when he was requested a query concerning the largest problem that Coen’s offense presents. He repeatedly mentioned what the Jaguars do is authorized, however supplied extra element on Jacksonville’s method.

“They have, legally, a extremely advance sign stealing kind of system the place they at all times discover a strategy to put themselves in an advantageous scenario,” Saleh mentioned Thursday. “They do an excellent job with it.”

“Positively you employ all the pieces you’ll be able to [for motivation] and if they are going to offer you free gasoline, you’re taking it. That is one thing that you simply at all times do, however on the finish of the day you have to go play the sport. That stuff does not actually matter. You have to go maintain enterprise and execute and discover a strategy to win the sport, which we did right now.”

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence

Saleh went on to say that different coaches such because the Los Angeles Rams‘ Sean McVay and the Minnesota Vikings‘ Kevin O’Connell, each of whom both labored with Shanahan beforehand or have labored in Shanahan programs, are good at gleaning info from alerts.

On Friday, Coen declined to handle Saleh’s feedback and as an alternative talked concerning the 49ers protection.

Coen did, nevertheless, say that attempting to determine what an opponent goes to do based mostly on what you are seeing on movie and throughout the recreation is simply a part of teaching.

“We now have type of sometimes by formation, by recreation plan, by working actually arduous as a training workers all through the week, attempting to get indicators by your formation, movement, shift, pre-snap,” Coen mentioned Friday. “These are the issues that you simply’re attempting to do as a coach for those who’re attempting to place your gamers in the very best place to achieve success, whether or not it is attacking man or zone protection along with your formations, motions and ideas.”

Regardless of all the discuss main as much as the sport, the Jaguars obtained the final snort Sunday, escaping with a win on the energy of a plus-four turnover margin.

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence did not give a lot credence to all the sign discuss resulting in a win for Jacksonville, however he additionally did not deny it fully.

“Positively you employ all the pieces you’ll be able to [for motivation] and if they are going to offer you free gasoline, you’re taking it,” Lawrence mentioned. “That is one thing that you simply at all times do, however on the finish of the day you have to go play the sport. That stuff does not actually matter. You have to go maintain enterprise and execute and discover a strategy to win the sport, which we did right now.”