Richard Sherman Says Robert Saleh 'Has to Get the Detroit Job'
Could the Detroit Lions turn to a hometown coach to turn around their misfortunes?
San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is currently the odds-on-favorite to succeed former Detroit head man Matt Patricia, who was fired Saturday along with general manager Bob Quinn.
The Dearborn, Mich., native is very popular among his players, and 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman hasn't been shy in voicing his support for Saleh to lead an NFL team as its head coach next season.
"I expect him to be a head coach next year, because of what he's able to do," Sherman said Sunday, following his team's victory over the Los Angeles Rams. "He's able to rally men. He's a leader of men, and that goes a long way."
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated exchanged text messages with Sherman, and the veteran defensive back shared why the popular defensive coordinator would make a great head coach in Detroit.
"He has to get the Detroit job,” Sherman texted Breer. “Homegrown. He’s a great leader of men. And he’s not stubborn. He doesn’t just think he has all the answers. He comes up with a great plan, and evolves it with his players.”
The 49ers, despite suffering numerous injuries on defense, were able to force four turnovers, as they defeated the Rams Sunday, 23-20.
"You've got to give Robert Saleh an abundance of credit. You have to give him an unusual amount of credit, and I don't think he's getting enough credit. Not just here, but in the league, in general," Sherman said during his Week 12 postgame press conference.
He added, "To have the injuries we've had, week after week after week, the setbacks, week after week. We lose two D-linemen during the bye week, and he never makes an excuse. And statistically, we're still a top-five defense in almost every category."
More from SI All Lions:
Ranking 8 General Manager Candidates
New Detroit Lions General Manager Must Set Bar Extremely High
Trusting in Sheila Ford Hamp Will Take Time
Poll: Should Darrell Bevell Be Detroit Lions' Next Head Coach
Lions Fans Make Donations to Deshaun Watson's Charity
Get the latest Detroit Lions news by joining our community. Click "Follow" at the top right of our SI All Lions page. Mobile users click the notification bell. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @DetroitPodcast.