Robert Saleh Sparks Sign-Stealing Debate Ahead of 49ers-Jaguars Showdown

Robert Saleh indirectly claimed that the Jaguars are stealing signs during games and using to their advantage.

Robert Saleh Sparks Sign-Stealing Debate Ahead of 49ers-Jaguars Showdown

Liam Coen and Robert Saleh (Image via IMAGO)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

Brock Purdy’s return to the San Francisco 49ers’ active roster was overshadowed by Robert Saleh’s comments on the Jacksonville Jaguars. Saleh gave Liam Coen’s Jaguars a backhanded compliment regarding the use of signs during game days.

On Monday, the 49ers host the Jaguars in week 4. Saleh, now the defensive coordinator of the Niners, praised first-time head coach Liam Coen for putting his players in a beneficial position for picking up signals of the opposition team.

Saleh claimed that every coach from Sean McVay‘s coaching tree has mastered the art of sign stealing.

Liam [Coen] and his staff, a couple of 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. 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.

Robert Saleh said via Coach Yac on X

Coen was part of McVay’s team in LA from 2018 to 2020, along with Grant Urbanski, who is now on the Jaguars staff.

Liam Coen responded to Robert Saleh’s sign-stealing statement

Reporters relayed Saleh’s message to Coen and pushed him for an answer. In return, they only received a vague response.

Robert Saleh Sparks Sign-Stealing Debate Ahead of 49ers-Jaguars Showdown
Brock Purdy (Image via IMAGO)

Coen refrained from speaking on the matter.

I’m not going to speak on that fully right now. We have a huge game for us coming up this weekend. We’ve got a great defense that we’ve got to go and attack, and that’s where our whole mindset and mentality is right now.

Liam Coen said

Coen carefully navigated his way around the question by switching to discussing improving the defense.

We’re just really trying to focus on a darn good defense that we have to go and try to go attack. Offensively, get better, about us getting better. Putting it together for four quarters and trying to create some explosives in the pass game.

Coen said

The Jaguars are 2-1 after recording wins over the Carolina Panthers and the Houston Texans. Their only loss came against the Cincinnati Bengals in week three.

Meanwhile, the Niners are 3-0 with wins over the Seattle Seahawks, the New Orleans Saints, and the Arizona Cardinals.

The Niners played the last two fixtures without QB1 Brock Purdy, as he was in rehab due to an issue with his toe. Mac Jones deputized for Purdy, completing 66.2% of his passes for 563 yards and 1 touchdown.

On Friday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced that Purdy will start for the Niners on Sunday against the Jags. The Pro Bowler played the first game of the season. He threw for 277 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions.

Purdy has played against the AFC South franchise on one previous occasion back in 2023. He threw 3 touchdowns and 296 yards in a 34-3 victory.

The Niners also lead the series 2-5 and are on a five-game win streak.

  • Game: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. San Francisco 49ers
  • Game day: Sunday, September 28, 2025
  • Game time: 4:05 p.m. ET
  • Location: Santa Clara, California
  • Stadium: Levi’s Stadium
  • TV channel: FOX (KNIN-Boise)

Also Read: