Jaguars Coach Liam Coen Talks Smack To 49ers DC Robert Saleh During Intense Confrontation

The Jaguars didn’t just shock the 49ers on the field in Week 4 with a 26–21 upset — they left San Francisco rattled off, too. 

The game ended with Jacksonville head coach Liam Coen and 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh in a screaming match so intense both had to be held back.

Jaguars head coach Liam Coen. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

The clash had been brewing all week. 

Saleh had accused the Jaguars of running a "really advanced signal-stealing system" in what was surely a sarcastic compliment.

Sure, he admitted it was legal, but the subtext was clear: if his defense got lit up, it wasn’t because they were out-coached — it was because Jacksonville had cracked some code.

Coen wasn’t having it. 

After handing Saleh’s defense a loss in its own stadium, the rookie head coach stormed straight up to him and barked: "Keep my name out of your mouth." 

Niners defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images)

Jaguars staff had to drag Coen away while Niners assistants corralled Saleh, whose bark suddenly looked a lot smaller when the target was standing in front of him instead of in the headlines.

Afterward, both sides tried to play it down. 

But the reality is hard to miss: Saleh’s jab reeked of insecurity, a preemptive excuse from a coach suddenly on the back foot. 

Coen, meanwhile, turned the tables — proving he won’t be painted as a cheat, and won’t flinch at gamesmanship. What was meant to rattle the Jaguars instead spotlighted Coen’s gumption. 

In just his fourth game as a head coach, he didn’t just outmaneuver the 49ers — he showed he’s unafraid.

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