Robert Saleh isn’t phased by criticism from 49ers fans

"In our profession, there's two types of coaches: those who have been fired and there's those who are about to get fired," Robert Saleh told reporters before Thursday's practice.

The San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator has been heavily scrutinized by fans this season. His defense ranks No. 25 against the pass and No. 29 in points allowed this season while only seven teams have fewer sacks than its 12. An even more telling statistic is that the 49ers are 1-3 in games where the offense has scored 27-or-more points.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan has expressed confidence in Saleh.

"He's very good at what he does," Shanahan told reporters on Wednesday. "He's very smart, and he runs a very good system."

A vocal segment of fans has been clamoring from behind its computer monitors and phone screens for San Francisco to fire Saleh. The noise hasn't phased the coach because he simply ignores it.

"You just put that to the backburner," Saleh said. "We get it. It goes with the territory. I have tremendous confidence in what we teach and how we go about our business. And I've got tremendous confidence in the players. I've got tremendous confidence in the assistant coaches.

"If you allow yourself to get in a world of things you have zero control over, which is people talking, it just takes away from your ability to do your best at any moment.

"Social media, I don't do it, I don't have it, and to be honest with you, it's a very uncontrollable aspect of life. The more you focus on things you have no control over, the less you can focus on things you do have control over.

"To make a long answer short, I don't get involved with it."