The San Francisco 49ers on Friday confirmed the return of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, and the emotional leader of the defense was quick to illustrate just how happy he is with the hiring.
Saleh returns to the role he occupied from 2017 to 2020, establishing himself as one of the best defensive coaches in the game over the course of his final two seasons of his first spell. Having been fired as head coach of the New York Jets in October, he replaces Nick Sorensen, who was relieved of his duties after a disappointing sole season in the role.
Only two members of the 49er defense that were part of the team when Saleh was last in the job are under contract for 2025 — star defensive end Nick Bosa and All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner.
Warner is the leader of the defense and, as the green-dot wearing MIKE linebacker, relays the defensive calls from the sideline.
Communication was expressed an issue when Steve Wilks oversaw the defense during the 49ers’ run to Super Bowl 58 in the 2023 season, though it did seem to improve after he moved down from the coaching booth to the sideline midway through the season.
It was not articulated as a problem with Sorensen calling the plays, but an apparent inability on his part to know when to make tweaks and throw in some changeups was a factor in him losing his job.
With their familiarity, there will be no communication issues between Saleh and Warner, and their already strong understanding should allow the four-time first-team All-Pro to pass on insight to aid any potential tweaks to the gameplan.
And Warner summed up his satisfaction with the hire after the 49ers made it official, though he did not use any words to do so.
Instead, Warner simply posted an image of the pair smiling on the field following the 49ers’ Week 1 win over the Jets this season to his Instagram story.
In going from Wilks, an external hire from outside the system Saleh implemented in 2017, to a first-time coordinator in Sorensen, the 49ers have not had a defensive play-caller both versed in the scheme and boasting the confidence and experience to vary the gameplan since DeMeco Ryans was hired away by the Houston Texans after the 2022 season.
With the return of Saleh, they have such a coach once again, and it’s clear Warner could not be happier.
