Robert Saleh is ready for the next chapter of his NFL coaching career, commanding the defense of the San Francisco 49ers.
Saleh joined the 49ers after being head coach of the New York Jets for three seasons. The Jets fired him midseason as the Green Bay Packers hired him as an offensive consultant for the remainder of the 2024 campaign.
Saleh reflected on his decision to come to San Francisco, where he previously was a defensive coordinator from 2017 to 2020.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for this organization. … If you think about those first two years as the coordinator in ’17 and ’18, it wasn’t easy. And it could have been very easy for them to move on for me,” Saleh told reporters on Thursday.
“I’m indebted to this organization, to those men, for the rest of my life. They stuck with me, and we made it happen. We did what we needed to do, and the rest is history. I’m excited about the opportunity to get a chance to do it again with them.”
What lies ahead for Robert Saleh, 49ers
Considering his familiarity with the 49ers, it was a reasonable decision for Robert Saleh to join the ranks of Kyle Shanahan’s coaching staff once again.
It also helps that the 49ers succeeded with Salah orchestrating the defense during his previous stint. In the 2019-20 season, they ranked sixth in the league in forced turnovers (27), second in total defense (281.8 yards per game), first in passing defense (169.2 yards per game), and fourth in sacks (48).
This proved to be fruitful for San Francisco, returning to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2012-13 season. However, they lost 31-20 to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
In other words, Saleh has unfinished business to take care of in his second stint. The 49ers went through a disappointing 2024 season as they missed the playoffs with a 6-11 record. This was one year after they finished runners-up in the Super Bowl.
Both parties have the same goals in mind. They wish to return to form as one of the best the NFL has to offer.
