The San Francisco 49ers' patience appears to have paid off. Head coach Kyle Shanahan opted to wait out the latest head coach hiring cycle, holding out hope for his preferred defensive coordinator candidate, Robert Saleh. This gamble could have backfired if Saleh had landed a head coaching role, leaving Shanahan scrambling to find someone to lead his defense after firing Nick Sorensen.
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Fortunately for the 49ers, everything worked out. Saleh returns to the organization, reclaiming his defensive coordinator position from 2017 to 2020. He hopes his work in 2025 will reinvigorate the defense and potentially earn him another shot at a head coaching role.
The 49ers' defense struggled under Sorensen last season. While it ranked eighth in the NFL in total yards allowed, it finished 29th in points allowed, a key factor in the team's disappointing 6-11 campaign.
Saleh's first stint with the 49ers saw him build one of the NFL's most dominant defenses, which was pivotal in the team's run to Super Bowl LIV during the 2019 season.
We asked fans on social media to share their thoughts on Saleh's potential impact. The majority are confident that the defense will improve or significantly improve in 2025, which would bode well for the 49ers' chances of returning to the playoffs. Only a small number felt the defense would remain the same or decline further.
With Robert Saleh at the helm, the #49ers defense will be …
— 49ers Webzone (@49erswebzone) January 25, 2025
There's good reason to believe Saleh's presence will make a difference. He has built a reputation as a meticulous, detail-oriented coach who implements the type of aggressive defensive scheme that Shanahan prefers.
Saleh's tenure as the New York Jets' head coach highlighted his ability to elevate defenses. In 2021, the Jets ranked last in total yards allowed. By 2022, that number improved to fifth, and by 2023, they climbed to third, despite the team never finishing with a winning record during his time there.
His previous run with the 49ers also provides reason for hope. Saleh's defense ranked 24th in total yards allowed in 2017, 13th in 2018, second in 2019, and fifth in an injury-plagued 2020 campaign. During the team's 2019 Super Bowl run, the defense also ranked first against the pass and eighth in points allowed.
Shanahan hopes Saleh's leadership will bring more discipline, physicality, and consistency to a unit that struggled under Sorensen. With the 49ers eager to rebound from a disappointing 2024 season, the pressure is on for Saleh to restore the defense to its former glory.