Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan looks on after losing to the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

San Francisco 49ers: Robert Saleh’s Major Reason Behind Ignoring Other Teams for DC Job

Originally posted on Gridiron Heroics | By Rex Villas | Last updated May 9, 2025 8:38 PM ET

Robert Saleh feels like he’s right back at home now. After spending three-plus seasons with the New York Jets as head coach, Saleh decided to reunite with the San Francisco 49ers, a move that he opened up about recently in front of the media (h/t Laim Fox of The Score).

“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,” Saleh told reporters Thursday. “And it could have been very easy for them to move on for me.

“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.”

San Francisco 49ers’ reunion with Saleh adds hope for a strong 2025 rebound

Saleh returns to a 49ers team that underwhelmed in the 2024 NFL campaign. Expected to be among the chief contenders for the Super Bowl, the 49ers ended up finishing with a 6-11 record, worst in the NFC West division, and missing the NFL playoffs.

Also that season, San Francisco was just 29th in the league overall with an average of 25.6 points allowed per contest.

With Saleh back, this time with head-coaching experience, the 49ers hope that he’ll be even more effective as a defensive coordinator, a role that he also served in San Francisco from 2017 to 2020.

Sep 29, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh looks on during the first half against the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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