Arik Armstead was put in an awkward situation when his former defensive coordinator and current head coach got into a bit of a dust-up during the 2025 NFL season.
Former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and Jaguars coach Liam Coen had a viral on-field interaction following San Francisco’s Week 4 loss to Jacksonville after Saleh’s comments about the Jaguars coaching staff’s “legal” sign-stealing system.
While the viral postgame interaction garnered chatter around the league, Armstead admits he couldn’t help but find the entire situation amusing.
“That was actually hilarious,” Armstead told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco on Thursday at Super Bowl Radio Row. “I know both of them very well. But they’re cool now, I know that for a fact. They’re good. I knew they would get good. They have a lot of respect for each other as coaches, and I heard that from both sides.
“It ain’t no beef or anything crazy. It was a great, great story. Great timeline.”
Armstead added that he wasn’t near Saleh and Coen on the field when the exchange took place because he was too busy catching up with his former teammates.
He, like many others, learned about the altercation on social media after the fact.
Armstead spent his first nine NFL seasons with the 49ers before being released by San Francisco after the 2023 season.
He signed with the Jaguars on a three-year, $51 million contract in March 2024.
There is no love lost between Armstead and the 49ers, and, according to the veteran defensive end, nor between Saleh and Coen.
Saleh, who departed the 49ers this offseason to become head coach of the Tennessee Titans, will join Armstead and the Jaguars in the AFC South. Only time will tell how Saleh and Coen’s next interaction will be.