The normally peaceful exchange of handshakes, hugs, and backslaps at the end of a football game became the scene of a different, more heated type of exchange on Sunday, as Jags head coach Liam Coen and 49ers defensive coordinator had to be separated after Jacksonville’s 26-21 win.
The confrontation occurred after a press conference earlier in the week, when Saleh referred to a “legal” sign-stealing scheme allegedly run by Coen and the Jaguars.
“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,” Saleh explained to reporters. “They do a great job of it. They formation you to just try to find any nugget they can. We have to be great with our signals, be great with our communication to combat some of those tells we might give on the field.”
That public discussion of Coen’s alleged signal-stealing scheme clearly did not sit well with the Jaguars coach. However, it is odd that he chose to walk past Saleh and wait until there were enough people between himself and Saleh before turning around and facing him.
When asked about the confrontation between his opposite number and his defensive coordinator, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said he didn’t see the incident, but felt that Coen should have been above such reactions.
“I didn’t see what happened, so I’m not sure, but [Coen] shouldn’t be so sensitive,” Shanahan said.
The Jaguars improved their record to 3-1 with the victory, and the 49ers suffered their first loss of the season, falling to 3-1.
Next up, Jacksonville hosts the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, Oct. 6. The 49ers will face the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football.
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