George Kittle names 49ers' best offseason addition

Saleh interviewed with multiple teams for head coaching jobs this past offseason. He was also a highly sought-after coordinator. According to Silver, the Las Vegas Raiders offered him a record-breaking contract with the understanding that he could eventually succeed now-74-year-old Pete Carroll as head coach.

Still, Saleh was determined to return to the 49ers if he didn't land another head coaching job.

"The 49ers felt right to me," Saleh explained. "It's a championship organization, with an owner (Jed York), GM (John Lynch), and head coach (Kyle Shanahan) that I respect so much. Watching the way they operate is such a helpful thing for me, now that I've had that (head coaching) experience. And Kyle and I had already rebuilt a defense once — this was a chance for us to do it again."

The 49ers underwent sweeping offseason changes, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. And despite enduring a massive injury count, including the loss of defensive cornerstones Fred Warner and Nick Bosa for the season, Saleh's defense has been a driving force behind the team's 5-2 start.

Kittle isn't the only offensive player praising Saleh's influence.

"Saleh brings a different kind of energy to the building," quarterback Brock Purdy said, "and he's dialing it up. He's really, really smart, and it's helping us a lot."

Saleh's brilliant game planning and intense teaching style—combined with his past success—have his players fully bought in.

"You'll never go into any game with the same game plan (as previously used)," safety Ji'Ayir Brown said. "He knows the opponent's strengths and weaknesses and figures out how to attack them."

With Saleh back at the helm, the 49ers' defense looks rejuvenated and determined to help fuel another playoff push. As the team battles through injuries and adversity, Robert Saleh's presence might be key to the 49ers remaining in contention.

Click here to read Silver's entire feature at The Athletic.