Tag: Robert Saleh

49ers add another long-time defensive coordinator to coaching staff

The San Francisco 49ers are making some big changes to their defensive coaching staff.

The San Francisco 49ers are bolstering their coaching staff with another former head coach and defensive coordinator.

NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero on Friday reported long-time defensive coordinator Gus Bradley is joining defensive coordinator Robert Saleh on the 49ers defensive coaching staff.

It’s unclear exactly what Bradley’s role will be, but he has deep ties to the Pete Carroll defense the 49ers want to run. He was also the head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars while Robert Saleh was there as a linebackers coach.

Bradley got his first DC job in the NFL in 2009 on Jim Mora’s staff with the Seattle Seahawks. He stayed on in 2010 when Carroll took over as the head coach, and since then he’s been a DC with Seattle, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts. He helped oversee the great Legion of Boom defenses in Seattle, and also helped transform the Chargers defense into a top-10 unit in points allowed in 2017 and 2018.

Adding another experienced voice to the room should pay dividends as San Francisco looks for ways to adapt and change things defensively. Assistant head coach Brandon Staley has a similar role, but his background is not in the scheme Bradley runs.

Last season with the Colts, Bradley’s defense finished 29th in yards allowed and 24th in points allowed. They were seventh in total takeaways — an area the 49ers struggled with in 2024.

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49ers superstar reveals why he’s excited for Robert Saleh’s return

It’s what Fred Warner didn’t say that jumps out.

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner didn’t hide his excitement for the return of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, but there were things he didn’t say that illustrate what Saleh’s return means for the 49ers’ defense.

That’s not a huge surprise given the tumult San Francisco has dealt with the last couple of years while cycling through defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and Nick Sorensen.

Saleh has a proven track record with Warner and the 49ers, and his addition to their coaching staff looks like an early offseason victory for San Francisco. Warner expressed his excitement in an interview with NBC Sports’ Jennifer Lee Chan at the Pro Bowl Games.

“It means a lot,” Warner said. “Obviously Coach Saleh has been amazing for us and for myself as a young player, so it’s gonna be interesting being the old guy now, myself, being with him again. It’s gonna be fun though.”

A clearer indication of what Saleh brings to the 49ers defense came from something Warner did not say.

Chan asked the All-Pro LB about Saleh’s energy and how it lifts up the 49ers defense. His response was telling:

“I mean, it’s contagious,” Warner said. “You see it. Him, DeMeco (Ryans), that was a big part of why we were so successful. And obviously the teaching portion of it all and making sure we’re all on the same page. It’s gonna be good to get him back.”

Saleh and Ryans were both high-energy coaches on the sidelines. That was not a quality possessed by Wilks nor Sorensen, and Warner omitting them both is telling.

Overt displays of excitement on the sideline aren’t the only requisite quality for a good defensive coordinator, but it’s been clear the last couple of years the 49ers edge has been lacking on that side of the ball. There have been other problems, too. Warner alludes to them when talking about teaching and being on the same page. Personnel has also been an issue that goes beyond the scope of a DC’s responsibilities.

Warner’s excitement and his reasons for it are good signs for the immediate future of the 49ers’ defense. They’ve got a handful of other tweaks to make, but just getting Saleh back on the sideline should help San Francisco right away.

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49ers aim to add 3-time Pro Bowler to coaching staff

The three-time Pro Bowl corner spent the last two seasons as an assistant with the Carolina Panthers.

With his return to the San Francisco 49ers now official, new defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is already busy filling out his staff, which could potentially include a former Pro Bowl defensive back.

According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, former star corner DeAngelo Hall is set to interview with the 49ers for their opening at defensive backs coach.

Via @MikeGarafolo on Twitter:

Hall retired in 2017 after spending 14 seasons in the NFL at defensive back. After retiring, Hall spent time working in media, including at NFL Network. In 2023, Hall joined Frank Reich’s coaching staff as an assistant defensive backs coach. Hall was later retained by the Panthers under new head coach Dave Canales.

According to Garafolo, Hall and the Panthers parted ways so he could pursue a role as a primary position coach.

Daniel Bullocks has served as the 49ers safeties coach and is listed as their “defensive passing game specialist / defensive backs” coach. Andrew Hayes-Stoker is currently listed as the team’s assistant defensive backs coach.

Hall wouldn’t be the first former player to join Kyle Shanahan’s coaching staff. Brian Griese, Leonard Hankerson and KJ Wright are some of the notable former players on Shanahan’s staff. Miles Austin, Wes Welker and DeMeco Ryans also coached with the 49ers under Shanahan.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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New DC won’t singlehandedly save 49ers defense

Robert Saleh is a good hire, but the 49ers can’t be done improving their defense.

The San Francisco 49ers on Friday night made a significant upgrade to their coaching staff when they officially hired defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, but that can’t be their only big defensive move this offseason.

Heading into the offseason the 49ers have a handful of starting spots on defense that either need replacements or upgrades, particularly in the front seven where they’ve been dominant when their defenses are at their best.

Last year’s defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen had some schematic problems and struggled with both in-game and game-to-game adjustments. He also was working with a defensive roster that didn’t meet the standard previously set in San Francisco.

The 49ers’ defense is predicated heavily on its pass rush. Last season’s pass rush wasn’t good enough. According to Pro Football Focus, the 49ers had only one player in the top 65 in pass rush win rate last year, and only two in the top 80 (defensive end Nick Bosa and defensive tackle Maliek Collins). Saleh is a good coordinator, but it’s unlikely he’ll be able to manufacture a quality defense in the modern NFL with a pass rush as frequently ineffective as the unit the 49ers rolled out last season.

Adding talent on the defensive front at both the end and tackle positions is going to be essential if Saleh is going to have the type of impact that helps the 49ers return to Super Bowl contention.

They’ll also need to figure out what they’re doing alongside Fred Warner. Prior to last season when Dre Greenlaw was in the second level next to the All-Pro, the 49ers controlled the middle of the field in the passing game and had two effective, sideline-to-sideline run stoppers behind their defensive line.

Without Greenlaw last season they couldn’t find an adequate replacement and their defense struggled. There were easy throws available in the middle of the field for opposing quarterbacks, and they missed Greenlaw’s athleticism and instincts in the run game. If they’re unable to replace Greenlaw, who is set for unrestricted free agency this offseason, finding a viable replacement is going to be essential.

San Francisco will also likely have a starting cornerback job open with Charvarius Ward leaving in free agency. They could also have a starting safety spot open with Talanoa Hufanga hitting free agency and Ji’Ayir Brown struggling in 2024.

An advantage to having an experienced, successful DC like Saleh is that they’ll have a coach who can maximize the roster they do put together. Saleh alone won’t make them title contenders, however. They have to revamp their defense at at least one position in all three levels if they’re going to give Saleh the tools to help their defense reach a championship level.

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Robert Saleh is back in the NFC West

Robert Saleh, who helped the 49ers slow down the Rams in 2019 and 2020, is back in San Francisco

Robert Saleh is back in the place where he truly made a name for himself as one of the best defensive coaches in the NFL.

The San Francisco 49ers announced on Friday night that they have hired Saleh as their defensive coordinator, reuniting with the coach who previously spent four years in that role from 2017-2020.

Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams are surely aware of this move made by their biggest rival, especially considering it was Saleh’s defenses that helped shut down the Rams in his final two seasons in San Francisco. McVay said in 2020 that Saleh is someone he’s “always had a huge amount of respect for,” frequently complimenting him during their tenures together in the NFC West.

He also said “Saleh is as good a coordinator as there is” before a Rams-49ers matchup in Oct. 2019.

Though the Rams went 3-1 in their first four games against the 49ers when Saleh was the defensive coordinator, they lost four straight at the end of his tenure from 2019-2020. In three of those four games, the 49ers held the Rams to 20 points or fewer, including a 20-7 beatdown in 2019 when the Rams managed just 157 total yards.

The good news is San Francisco doesn’t have close to the personnel it had back then. The defense isn’t nearly as talented as it was in 2019 and 2020, particularly along the defensive line. And not to mention, Matthew Stafford never faced those Saleh-led defenses during those four years. It was always Jared Goff.

The Rams aren’t going to fret Saleh being back, but his return could help San Francisco turn things around on that side of the ball.

How 49ers can avoid another potential DC search in 2026

Even though Robert Saleh is returning, it may not be for multiple years.

The San Francisco 49ers are re-hiring Robert Saleh to be their defensive coordinator.

While Saleh looks like a home-run hire given his success with the 49ers as their DC and a rapid turnaround for the New York Jets defense in Saleh’s second year as their head coach, he may also only stick around for one season.

Saleh received three interviews for head coach openings in the 2025 cycle. He figures to be a hot candidate again in the 2026 offseason assuming he helps the 49ers defense return to something close to championship form.

That wouldn’t have been a reason to pass him over. After all, the 49ers didn’t have many other viable options who check the boxes they’re aiming to check with their next DC hire. However, it does highlight the need to have a DC-in-waiting on the coaching staff.

When Saleh left the 49ers for the Jets after the 2020 season, the 49ers knew linebackers coach DeMeco Ryans was going to step into that role and he did so with rousing success. He wound up only working as the 49ers’ DC for two years before landing the head coaching job with the Houston Texans.

When Ryans exited, the 49ers had no such internal plan. They hired veteran defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, but he was let go after one season. San Francisco then tried giving defensive pass game specialist/nickels coach Nick Sorensen a shot. He was also fired after one year.

Now with Saleh returning, the 49ers need to look at their internal staff and identify another coach who can step in after Saleh. There’s a very real chance he finds another head coaching spot in 2026, and San Francisco would be smart to ensure they have a replacement lined up instead of filling time in another offseason looking for a DC.

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Will 49ers get draft picks if they lose Robert Saleh again?

This could get interesting.

There’s an interesting wrinkle to the San Francisco 49ers’ re-acquisition of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.

While they’re gaining an experienced defensive coordinator with a strong track record, they may also gain another opportunity to secure a pair of third-round draft picks if he’s hired to be another team’s head coach.

San Francisco got two third-round compensatory picks (one each in the 2021 and 2022 drafts) after Saleh was hired by the New York Jets before the 2021 season because of the expansion of the NFL’s Rooney Rule. Teams acquire two third-round compensatory picks if a minority coach or executive is hired into a head coach or primary executive role with another team.

What’s unclear in the text of Resolution JC-2A whether teams will be awarded compensation if the minority coach or executive has been in a head coach or primary executive role with another team previously.

According to the text of the resolution published by Over the Cap, it would appear San Francisco would get a pair of third-round picks if Saleh spends at least two years with the 49ers and is then hired as another team’s head coach.

Via Over the Cap:

  • The employer-club shall be eligible to receive this Draft choice compensation if:

    • The minority employee hired as a Head Coach or Primary Football Executive has been employed by the employer-club for a minimum of two full seasons; and

    • The minority employee is not the Head Coach or Primary Football Executive of the employer-club and is hired into the same position with the new club. There can be no break in employment between clubs.

There’s no other stipulations in the resolution denying the awarding of comp picks if the assistant has previously been a head coach. If there is a rule against double-dipping on comp picks, it’s not written into JC-2A.

The bigger issue for San Francisco may be keeping Saleh around for more than one year. He was a head coach candidate in 2025, and there’s a strong chance he’s a top candidate in 2026 if he helps the 49ers defense return to form next season.

Perhaps the NFL will alter the rule at some point, but for now it looks like the 49ers could benefit again from the 2020 expansion of the Rooney Rule.

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49ers long defensive coordinator search is officially over

Robert Saleh is BACK.

It might have taken longer than they wanted, but the San Francisco 49ers finally have their defensive coordinator for the 2025 NFL season.

According to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, the expected reunion between the 49ers and former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is officially happening after Saleh was passed over for the Jacksonville Jaguars job.

Saleh was one of two interviews the 49ers announced for their DC opening, opening the door for speculation that San Francisco knew Saleh wasn’t going to land one of the head coach openings.

That took a turn in the lead up to the NFL’s conference championship games when the Jaguars’ top candidate, Liam Coen, backed out of the running before his second interview. That left Saleh and Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham as the lone candidates with second interviews, introducing new speculation that Saleh was the favorite for the job.

Then on Jan. 23, news quickly broke that Coen would once again pursue the Jags job after they fired general manager Trent Baalke. That quickly turned into news that Coen would be taking the Jaguars’ job, opening the door for Saleh to step into the 49ers’ DC role.

Saleh spent the 2017-20 seasons in San Francisco where he helped transform a dreadful 49ers defense into a Super Bowl caliber unit in his third season. After 2020 he was hired to be the New York Jets head coach where he spent the 2021-24 seasons. He was fired by the Jets after five games in 2024, and exited New York with a head coaching record of 20-36.

His defenses in New York were stout, though. They struggled in his first year, finishing last in the league in points and yards allowed. By his second season they leapt to No. 4 in both categories. They finished No. 3 in yards allowed the following two years.

He had similar success in San Francisco with his defenses finishing No. 2 and No. 5 in yards allowed is final two years.

The 49ers circled Saleh as their top candidate from the start, which makes sense since he checks all the boxes they’re looking for in terms of experience and prior success.

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Cross Robert Saleh off the Lions defensive coordinator wish list

Cross former Jets coach Robert Saleh off the Lions defensive coordinator wish list

Robert Saleh has been a popular name mentioned as a potential candidate to succeed Aaron Glenn as the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions. The former New York Jets head coach is a Detroit native who was a finalist for becoming the Lions’ head coach when the team hired Dan Campbell.

Based on everything coming out of San Francisco, cross Saleh’s name off the Lions list. He has already told the San Francisco 49ers that he will be their defensive coordinator in 2025 unless he lands a head coaching job elsewhere. Saleh was the DC for the Niners prior to landing the Jets job, from which he was fired midseason last fall.

Saleh was also in consideration to become the next head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, but Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Cohen filled that position on Thursday.

For more on Saleh and his pending return to San Francisco, check out Niners Wire.

 

All signs point to reunion between 49ers and their No. 1 option at DC

The 49ers appear to be in line to land Robert Saleh as their defensive coordinator … for now.

Things started breaking right for the San Francisco 49ers in their trek to land Robert Saleh as their next defensive coordinator.

It looked early Thursday as though the 49ers may need to wait until after the Super Bowl for an answer on Saleh’s future as the potential head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. It also at that time looked like he was the favorite to land the job.

Then reporting surfaced from ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday afternoon that Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who had pulled out of the running for the Jaguars job, was back in the running for the Jags job after the team fired general manager Trent Baalke.

It’s a wild turn that suddenly put Saleh in a position where he’s unlikely to land a head coaching job. For the entire process the 49ers have essentially been banking on Saleh not getting a lead job anywhere and re-joining San Francisco as their defensive coordinator.

While that was the expected outcome if he missed out on a head coach spot, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco reported a confirmation that Saleh told the 49ers he’d join their coaching staff barring an offer to be a head coach:

Nothing is finalized yet, and if the Jaguars have shown the NFL world anything over the last couple weeks it’s that anything is possible in their search for a head coach.

For now, all signs point toward Saleh missing out on that job, which would land him back leading the 49ers defense in 2025.

Update

Liam Coen is going to be the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach per the Athletic’s Jeff Howe.

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