The San Francisco 49ers made it clear they wanted Robert Saleh back this offseason when they were searching for their new defensive coordinator. Saleh on Thursday made it clear he didn’t have intentions of landing as a DC anywhere else.
While Saleh interviewed for head coach opportunities, he told reporters in a press conference that upward mobility with a team and future potential head coaching jobs didn’t play a role when he was looking for work this offseason.
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“No, and I mean that,” Saleh said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for this organization. Obviously, starting at the top with Jed [York], he’s phenomenal. Kyle [Shanahan], his family, John [Lynch], Paraag [Marathe], they gave me so much. And during the first two years, if you think about those first two years as D-Coordinator in ‘17 and ‘18, it wasn’t easy. And it could have been very easy for them to move on from me. And so, there’s a, I’m indebted to this organization, to those men for the rest of my life. They stuck with me and we made it happen. We did what we needed to do, and the rest is history. I’m excited about the opportunity to get the chance to do it again with them.”
Shanahan gave Saleh his first chance to be a coordinator in 2017, and stuck with him after two seasons where the 49ers defense finished 25th and 28th in points allowed. Saleh eventually became one of the NFL’s best defensive play callers and earned a head coaching job with the New York Jets after the 2020 campaign.
This doesn’t mean Saleh won’t take a head coach job if he gets one after this season. That he committed to the 49ers so early when so many coaching staffs would have taken him is a great sign for San Francisco as they try and get their defense back on track in 2025.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers DC Robert Saleh gives strong statement on commitment to team