Coen and Saleh Squashed It: The Sign-Stealing Beef That Wasn't

Remember last September when Liam Coen and Robert Saleh got caught absolutely going at it on camera after Jacksonville beat San Francisco? Yeah, that whole thing? Water under the bridge now, and honestly, these two are even laughing about it.

The Jacksonville Jaguars head coach and Saleh, who is now leading the Tennessee Titans, made it official Tuesday at the NFL's annual league meetings in Phoenix. They have talked multiple times since that heated postgame exchange and have completely moved past whatever tension existed.

From Heated to Heat-Free

Saleh was straightforward about where things stand. "We're good," he said during the AFC coaches breakfast. "I know the NFL probably wants more of a story, but there's no story. I have an appreciation for Liam. Like I said, I used the wrong word when I was trying to give him a compliment, but all that's under the bridge. We've talked and put it behind us."

The whole thing started the Thursday before Jacksonville's game against the 49ers on September 28. Saleh, who was San Francisco's defensive coordinator at the time, had said publicly that the Jaguars are really good at legally stealing signals. He also pointed out that other coaches like Sean McVay and Minnesota's Kevin O'Connell do the same thing.

The Coaches Are Having Fun With It Now

Here is what is wild: these guys are actually joking about it with the rest of the coaching fraternity. Coen revealed that McVay was ribbing both Kyle Shanahan and Saleh about sign stealing, while simultaneously giving Coen grief about keeping their names out of his mouth.

"It was fun," Coen said. "I have a ton of respect for Kyle, for Robert, and those guys."

Even the seating chart at Monday's annual coaches photo told the story. Coen and Saleh were separated by 13 coaches on the back row, but Coen explained that was just happenstance, not some intentional cold shoulder.

This is refreshing, honestly. Two competitive football minds who butted heads for a moment in the heat of battle, talked it out, and moved on. That is how it should work.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.