49ers officially announce hiring of Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator

Feb 17, 2017 at 3:08 PM--


The San Francisco 49ers have officially announced the hiring of Robert Saleh, who will serve as the defensive coordinator on head coach Kyle Shanahan's staff. News of the hire was first reported on Monday by Adam Caplan of ESPN. The news came as the team officially announced nine additions, including Saleh, to the coaching staff.

Saleh, the linebackers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars since 2014, was reportedly set to join the Los Angeles Chargers in the same role. Former Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley, who the 49ers tried to lure as their own defensive coordinator, joined the Chargers instead, and planned on taking Saleh with him.

Saleh was among two candidates interviewed last Friday for the vacant position on head coach Kyle Shanahan's staff. The other was Atlanta Falcons defensive passing game coordinator Jerome Henderson, who worked on the same staff with Shanahan in 2016.

RELATED Tracker: Kyle Shanahan's 49ers Coaching Staff

Saleh, 38, will be NFL's third-youngest defensive coordinator and the 49ers' first rookie defensive coordinator since Greg Manusky was hired in 2007.

Saleh's NFL coaching career kicked off in 2005 as an intern working with the Houston Texans defense. In 2006, he was hired as a defensive quality control coach for the Texans and then promoted to assistant linebackers coach in 2009. In 2011, Saleh joined the Seattle Seahawks as their defensive quality control coach, where he remained for three seasons. He was part of their 2013 championship season when they defeated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.

The 49ers will reportedly return to a 4-3 defense, the same system that Gus Bradley runs and a system that Saleh has worked within since 2011. The move could be a big change for the 49ers' top draft picks over the past two years. Defensive lineman Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner were brought in to fit the team's 3-4 scheme and work with edge defending linebackers on the outside. The transition might mean a shift in responsibility for one of those players. Of course, it is entirely possible that free agency or the draft addresses one or more of the needs necessary to properly shift to the 4-3.

On Friday morning, Shanahan spoke about Saleh on KNBR. Shanahan and Saleh met in Houston when the 49ers head coach served as a receivers coach there and Saleh was the defensive quality control coach.

Saleh worked with Gus Bradley's defense with the Seattle Seahawks and then went with him to Jacksonville when Bradley became the head coach. Saleh's experience with that system influenced Shanahan's decision to bring him aboard. Shanahan called Seattle's defense very sound, disciplined, and tough to go up against. That is what the 49ers want to create under Shanahan.

"They make you work all the way down the field," Shanahan said. "When someone makes you work all the way down the field, no matter how talented they are, you have to be on as an offense to score points because you can get to the red zone, you can get yards, but in order to get touchdowns, you have to execute. And it's a defense that makes you execute."

"Robert Saleh is as smart as anyone I've been around," Shanahan added. "He studies everything. He knows a lot of different systems but he knows the true Seattle/Atlanta/Jacksonville system inside and out as much as anybody I've been with."

In 2016, Jim O'Neil served as the defensive coordinator for the 49ers within Chip Kelly's staff. Under his helm, the 49ers defense ranked last in the league. The unit had given up an average of 31.0 points per game (32nd), 424.9 yards per game (32nd), and a league-high 176.3 rushing yards (32nd). No team in 49ers franchise history has given up more rushing yards than the 2016 squad.



LISTEN

Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News



49ers officially announce coaching staff hires

By Site Staff
19 hrs

The San Francisco 49ers officially announced the hirings of Steve Wilks as defensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak as offensive passing game specialist, Jacob Webster as defensive quality control coach, and Max Molz as coaching operations assistant. The Wilks and Kubiak hirings have been known since February but were never officially announced by the team. Such lengthy delays are not uncommon for the 49ers. The 49ers Communications staff provided the following rundown via a press release. Wilks, 53, joins the 49ers from the Carolina Panthers (2022), where he was promoted to interim head coach in Week 6 after initially serving as the secondary/defensive pass



49ers re-sign TE Ross Dwelley, announce S Myles Hartsfield signing

By David Bonilla
Mar 20

The San Francisco 49ers announced they have re-signed tight end Ross Dwelley to a one-year deal. He was an unrestricted free agent. The team also officially announced the signing of free agent safety Myles Hartsfield to a one-year deal, news that was first reported on Saturday. RELATED: 5 things to know about new 49ers DB Myles Hartsfield San Francisco signed Dwelley (6-5, 235) as an undrafted free agent out of San Diego in 2018. He registered three receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown through 12 game appearances with the 49ers last season, per



Titans expected to sign former 49ers LB Azeez Al-Shaair

By David Bonilla
Mar 14

According to ESPN's Dianna Russini, the Tennessee Titans are expected to sign former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, an unrestricted free agent. The Titans are expected to sign former 49er Azeez Al-Shaair, per source— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) March 14, 2023 "I want him to go be



Titans are signing former 49ers OL Daniel Brunskill

By David Bonilla
Mar 14

The Tennessee Titans are signing former San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill, per NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. Brunskill is an unrestricted free agent. He becomes the second 49ers free agency today with which the Titans have agreed to terms. The team is also bringing in linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. The #Titans are expected to sign former


Featured

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone