Following his stint as New York Jets head coach and a year as a consultant with the Green Bay Packers , Robert Saleh returned to the San Francisco 49ers as their defensive coordinator. For star defensive end Nick Bosa, Saleh is the perfect choice for the position.
In his first game back with the franchise, Saleh helped the 49ers hold the Seahawks to just 13 points in a 17-13 victory. On the field, Bosa put up six tackles, three for a loss and a sack. The pairing seems to be firing on all cylinders to open the season.
Ultimately, Bosa and company will need to execute on the field for San Francisco's defense to stay consistently successful. But with Saleh calling the shots, he thinks the 49ers have an elite coaching staff in place, via Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.
“I missed my whole second year [with a torn ACL], so I’ve only had him basically for one year,” Bosa told Breer after the game. “I was a rookie, still figuring things out. He came back, and I’ve been in it now and I’ve had different coaches and experienced different things. He’s an incredibly important piece. He’s like a Kyle Shanahan on defense. Very smart and puts in the hours and makes sure he puts us in the right situations.”
Robert Saleh's return to 49ers
Saleh first joined the organization in 2017. It was the first time he became a defensive coordinator at any level. By 2019, he helped the 49ers finish second in total defense, allowing 281.8 yards per game. A year later, San Francisco finished fifth, allowing 314.4 YPG. Both of those defensive performances convinced the Jets to hire Saleh as their head coach.
Despite his departure, the 49ers still managed to stay strong defensively; having Bosa on the roster certainly helps. During the 2024 season, San Francisco finished eighth in total defense, allowing 317.4 YPG. Still, when the prospect of Saleh re-joining the roster opened up, the franchise couldn't turn down the opportunity.
Coming out of that Week 1 game, the 49ers rank fourth in total defense, allowing 230 YPG. They'll look to continue their strong play when they face the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. If Saleh is dialing up the right schemes, and Bosa is breaking through the line of scrimmage, it'll be difficult for Spencer Rattler and company to slow San Francisco's momentum.
