The San Francisco 49ers defense will be led by a very familiar face in 2025.
Robert Saleh, who led Kyle Shanahan’s defense from 2017 to ’20 before becoming head coach of the New York Jets, will return to the Bay Area in an effort to help the 49ers get back on track, The Athletic reports.
Saleh was fired by the Jets after a 2–3 start to the ’24 season, and a 20–36 record overall that was mired by the team’s failure to stabilize the quarterback position. Former No. 2 pick Zach Wilson never found his footing as a starting quarterback and Aaron Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles on the first drive of the 2023 season. He recovered in time to play in ’24, but was far from the MVP-caliber player he was just a few years earlier with the Green Bay Packers.
Saleh retained head coaching interest around the league, speaking with the Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders about their openings. While two of those jobs remain unfilled, evidently Saleh is comfortable returning to Shanahan’s staff.
The 49ers ranked in the top five in total defense in both ’19 and ’20 under Saleh. This year’s defense surrendered just 317.4 yards per game (eighth in the NFL) but was tied for 27th in scoring, allowing 25.6 points per game.
