Saleh rues 'wrong choice of words' in Coen spat

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Two days aft getting into a heated postgame speech with Jacksonville Jaguars manager Liam Coen, San Francisco 49ers antiaircraft coordinator Robert Saleh reiterated that his comments past week astir "legal awesome stealing" were meant arsenic a compliment but acknowledged helium could person chosen his words better.

"It is each good," Saleh said Tuesday. "Whatever happened connected Sunday doesn't alteration however I feel. In my heart, I genuinely was trying to springiness a compliment and I ain the information that I astir apt utilized the incorrect prime of words, but nevertheless you privation to connection it. I mean, they're really, truly bully astatine putting their players successful presumption to beryllium successful. As coaches, we're ever chasing leverage. They're trying to person winning leverage. We're trying to instrumentality leverage distant and everyone successful the league is trying to find each avenue they can.

"As a manager watching their tape, I admit the magnitude of hours that indispensable beryllium spent to beryllium capable to physique formations and specify each small indicator they tin to springiness their players a accidental to beryllium successful a palmy position. That's exhausting and each squad does it. Some bash it amended than others and it was my mode of acknowledging that these guys are really, really, truly bully astatine it."

Saleh went connected to compliment the occupation Coen is doing arsenic manager of the 3-1 Jaguars, who handed the 49ers their archetypal nonaccomplishment of the play connected Sunday.

"I deliberation Liam's doing a hellhole of a job," Saleh said. "I truly do. You tin archer that that team's truly taking connected his property and I anticipation they came retired of the crippled steadfast and I privation him the champion of luck passim the remainder of the season. I privation I could person recovered a amended prime of words, but my intent was ever to compliment that shot staff."

After Jacksonville's 26-21 triumph Sunday astatine Levi's Stadium, tv cameras caught Saleh and Coen yelling astatine each different and having to beryllium separated, presumably from Saleh's comments the erstwhile week astir however bully the Jaguars were astatine legally stealing signals from opponents.

Saleh and Coen, the apical 2 candidates for the Jaguars' caput coaching occupation successful the offseason, did not initially greet each different astatine midfield aft the game. On Tuesday, Saleh said helium was seeking Coen retired connected the tract to explicate himself and compliment him for however helium has the Jaguars playing erstwhile the statement escalated.

"The intent was to accidental precisely what I conscionable said that I deliberation he's doing a truly bully job, which I do," Saleh said. "That shot squad is playing and taking connected his personality. They're playing violently connected the violative enactment and their moving backs are moving truly hard and I deliberation they're doing a really, truly bully job. I conscionable wanted to fto him cognize that I admit the mode he's going astir his concern with his shot team."

After Coen walked past Saleh without acknowledging him, helium circled backmost toward Saleh portion Jaguars halfway Robert Hainsey restrained him. Saleh responded and exchanged words with Jacksonville violative tackle Walker Little arsenic a Niners unit subordinate held him back.

In a video captured by Action Sports Jax, Coen was heard shouting, "Keep my sanction retired of your mouth. Keep my sanction retired of your f---ing mouth," to which Saleh replied, successful part, "I volition f--- your satellite up."

After the game, Coen doubly declined to elaborate connected the exchange, saying lone that it was "not a large deal" and that they'd "keep that betwixt us."

Per custom, Saleh was not disposable postgame but spoke astir it connected Tuesday arsenic the Niners hole for Thursday night's crippled against the Read Entire Article