49ers lose Saleh, but will gain draft choices
The 49ers are losing their charismatic defensive coordinator to the Jets, but Robert Saleh’s hiring in New York will bring back some draft pick compensation for San Francisco.
Thanks to a new resolution tied to the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview minority candidates for highlevel jobs, teams that lose an assistant coach of color to a head coaching gig elsewhere will receive third-round picks in the next two drafts.
Saleh, the third Arab-American head coach in NFL history, has agreed to a reported five-year deal to head up the Jets after a successful four-year run as the 49ers defensive coordinator.
San Francisco’s picks will come at the end of the third round, just after compensatory picks awarded to teams who lose free agent players, according to ProFootballTalk.
Falcons tab Titans’ Smith head coach
The Atlanta Falcons agreed to terms with Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to become the team’s head coach.
Smith held a virtual interview with the team on Monday and he also interviewed with the New York Jets and Detroit Lions. The Jets reached an agreement with Saleh on Thursday night to be their coach.
Smith, 38, has served on the Tennessee staff for 10 seasons, including two as offensive coordinator. The Titans finished this season tied for second in the NFL in total yards.
Under Smith’s leadership, the Titans finished behind only Kansas City in total offense with 396.4 yards. They had the NFL’s second-best rushing offense as Derrick Henry became only the eighth back to rush for at least 2,000 yards.
Gordon suspended again
The conditional reinstatement of wide receiver Josh Gordon was rescinded by the NFL, and Gordon is once again under suspension. The change in Gordon’s status was listed on the NFL’s official transactions.
Gordon was signed by the Seattle Seahawks in September despite being under an indefinite suspension. That suspension ended in early December when Gordon was conditionally reinstated by Commissioner Roger Goodell. He was allowed to begin strength and conditioning work with the Seahawks staff, and attend meetings. He was expected to be eligible to play the final two weeks of the regular season.
But that never took place. Gordon was placed back on the commissioner’s exempt list in Week 16. Seattle expected Gordon to play at the start of Week 16, only to see his status change a couple of days later.
Gordon will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Gordon was suspended in December 2019 for violating the league’s drug policy. He tested positive for performance enhancers and “substances of abuse,” the league said in a statement at the time.
It was the eighth time overall Gordon had been suspended by either his team or the NFL, including six times since 2013, mostly for violating the league’s policies on banned substances.
Miscellany
Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller is under investigation by police in a Denver suburb.
Parker Police Department spokesman Josh Hans confirmed the investigation, but couldn’t provide additional details. Hans wrote in an email that, “if the investigation determines a crime has occurred, charges will be submitted to the DA’s Office for their review.”
The Broncos released a statement saying they were “aware of an investigation involving Von Miller and are in the process of gathering more information.”
• Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio was activated from the COVID-19 list after missing last week’s wildcard win over Pittsburgh.
• The NFL suspended Chicago Bears defensive linemen Mario Edwards Jr. for the first two games next season for violating the league’s policy against performanceenhancing substances.