Robert Saleh was fired as head coach of the New York Jets in October 2024 after a two-win, three-loss start to the 2024 NFL season. The decision came as a surprise and was accompanied by rumors of a poor relationship between the coach and quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers always maintained that his relationship with Saleh was a good one and that no disagreements between him and his coach played a role in the Jets’ decision to fire him, dispelling rumors to the contrary. Stats show that Saleh failed to qualify New York for the playoffs in any of his seasons in charge of the team, accumulating a record of 20 wins and 36 losses.
It’s been a long time since that moment in Saleh’s career, who spent the final part of last season in a consulting role for the Green Bay Packers. Now, however, the former Jets head coach will have a full-time job with another NFL team.
Saleh’s new job with NFL team
Robert Saleh’s new NFL staff position after being dismissed from the Jets is defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. It will be his second stint as DC for head coach Kyle Shanahan’s NFL franchise.
While several sources were already calling Saleh’s return to the 49ers a done deal, the news was not official because the former Jets coach was being interviewed as a candidate for head coaching positions with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders.
Saleh’s first stint as 49ers defensive coordinator
Robert Saleh played a key role as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator between 2017 and 2020. Those were successful years in which the team’s defense was known for its solidity, reaching Super Bowl LIV. His time in San Francisco earned him the recognition that led him to become the head coach of the Jets.
Aiming to improve the 49ers’ defense
Much was expected of the 49ers in the 2024 NFL season, but San Francisco had a disappointing campaign in which they failed to even qualify for the playoffs. Saleh will have the challenge of improving on a team that hasn’t been a disaster, allowing an average of 25.6 points per game, which ranks third worst in the league.