Robert Saleh earns major endorsement from former Jets Pro Bowlers

The San Francisco 49ers and head coach Kyle Shanahan was officially named Robert Saleh as the team’s new defensive coordinator. Saleh, 45, rejoins 49ers after three-season stint (2021-24) as head coach New York Jets. His former player, Gardner sauceThey did not need time to react to the news of his engagement of his former coach.

“Sheeesh🔥🔥🔥,” Gardner wrote in a retweet from the NFL on X (formerly Twitter).

Robert Saleh is the time with the jets

During his tenure in New York, Saleh helped four players earn associate first-team All-Pro honors in their first four NFL seasons: VR Bracton Berrios, CB Sos Gardner and DL Quinnen Williams. It also led Gardner, LB Jermaine Johnson II and Williams to bowl appearances.

Under Maleh’s leadership, the Jets defense thrived, consistently ranking in the NFL’s Top 10 in multiple categories during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. During that two-year span, Sales’ unit led the league in passing yards allowed per game (178.9) and opposing yards per game (4.7), while also finishing second in total defense (301.7) and sixth in opposing yards per rush (4.1).

The defense gave up 93 sacks and 29 interceptions during that span, tied for eighth and 10th in the NFL. In 2022, Saleh helped shape NFL offensive and defensive ends Garrett Wilson and CB Sos Gardner—making the Jets just the third team in NFL history to reach that milestone.

Saleh with the 49ers

During Sale’s first run as defensive coordinator in 493 (2017-20), he led a unit that ranked third in passing yards allowed per game (211.4), fourth in total defense (323.6) and opposing yards per game ( 5.1) and Sixth opponent yards per rush (4.1) during the four-year term.

In 2019, Saleh earned The Sporting News Coordinator of the Year and led the 49ers to a Super Bowl Liv leading a defense that ranked first in passing yards allowed per game (169.2), second in total defense (281.8) and tied for third in defense ( 33.3%).

The 2019 unit featured the NFL Defensive Cousin of the Year, DL Nick Bosaalong with two separate team All-Pro selections in DL freezing Bucner and CB Richard Sherman. Under Saleh, Buchner, Bosa, Sherman and LB Fred Warner all earned Pro Bowl nods during their first stint with the 49ers.

Before his first stint with the 49ers

Prior to his time in San Francisco, Saleh served as the line coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars for three seasons (2014-16) and as the defensive quality coach for the Seattle Seahawks for three seasons (2011-13), playing a role on their Super Bowl XLVIII TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP.

NFL coaching career with Houston Texans, holding positions as Defensive Intern (2005), Defensive Quality Management Coach (2006-08) and Linebackers Assistant Coach (2009-10). Saleh’s coaching roots trace back to the college ranks, where he served as a defensive assistant at Michigan State (2002-03), Central Michigan (2004) and Georgia (2005).

The San Francisco 49ers have built a fitting legacy of defensive excellence, and with Robert Saleh in charge, they aim to regain their dominance on that side of the ball. A natural return is critical to reviving the 49ers’ greatness and, ideally, completing the journey that Shanahan and he started together in 2017.