Head Coaching Experience Offers New Perspective in Old Position
Robert Saleh is back with the San Francisco 49ers. Stepping once again into the role of defensive coordinator, a position he previously held for four seasons before becoming head coach of the New York Jets. Like rediscovering a comfortable, familiar item, Saleh is returning to a role he knows well.
Speaking publicly for the first time since his return, Saleh shared on Thursday how his time as a head coach has made him appreciate being more involved with the day-to-day football side of the job.
“Obviously, I’ve gone through the head coaching stuff and you learn a lot going through that,” he said, via the team’s official transcript. “But I’m happy to be back in this chair where I get to coach a little bit more football and not deal with all the administrative stuff that comes with being a head coach.”
“The perspective, I guess, especially, and that’s what was exciting about coming back. Just being in a building where I was once a coordinator and now having head coaching experience, to have that global view. So, there’s a lot of empathy for understanding what [coach] Kyle [Shanahan] is going through and trying to help him out best I can. But it’s just, I guess more experience.”
Grateful for Loyalty During Early Struggles
Saleh was dismissed by the Jets early in his fourth season and later spent time consulting with the Green Bay Packers. He was considered for the head coaching role in Jacksonville this offseason. But when that opportunity didn’t materialize, returning to San Francisco, who had recently parted ways with Nick Sorensen, was a logical next step.
The former coordinator expressed deep gratitude to the 49ers organization for their patience during his early struggles in 2017 and 2018. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for this organization,” Saleh said.
“And during the first two years, if you think about those first two years as D-coordinator in ’17 and ’18, it wasn’t easy. And it could have been very easy for them to move on from me. And so … 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 the chance to do it again with them.”
That extended opportunity stands in contrast to his two most recent predecessors, Sorensen and Steve Wilks, both of whom were dismissed after just one season in the role.
A Defense That Has Evolved Over Time
Saleh noted that his defensive philosophy has adapted over the years, particularly during his tenure with the Jets. Now he returns to San Francisco excited to work with star players like Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, while implementing updated concepts.
“Yeah, for sure it’s evolved,” Saleh explained. “You’re always trying to stay two years ahead of the offense. And when we went to the Jets, there were a lot of different things that we started to do. And even now, while we have some things from the Jets, there’s stuff that has evolved over the course of the last four years here, and obviously with the league that there’s stuff happening.”
“We’ve, over this offseason, a lot of really cool concepts, a lot of really cool things. So, some things are the same, some things are the same from the Jets, some things are meshed, some things are coming in that are new. So, it’s like I said, we’re trying to stay a couple years ahead. A lot of it may seem similar, but there’s a lot of nuance that makes a difference.”
Major Changes on Defense
San Francisco has undergone major changes on defense this offseason, losing key players such as Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, Charvarius Ward, and Leonard Floyd. Saleh will now rely on a group of younger players, including first-round pick Mykel Williams and third-rounder Nick Martin, to take on more prominent roles.
His return to the team has likely helped ease concerns within the front office as they navigate these defensive adjustments, given his reputation for maximizing the potential of young talent.
