New San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh gets endorsement from former New York Jets Pro Bowler Sauce Gardner.

The 49ers have brought back Robert Saleh, fired as Jets head coach this season, in the defensive coordinator role he held for San Francisco from 2017-2021.

Saleh, who was fired in October as the New York Jets head coach five games into his fourth season, generated interest on the head-coaching front and was seen as one of the frontrunners for the Jacksonville Jaguars job. He also interviewed with the Las Vegas Raiders and Dallas Cowboys.

The San Francisco 49ers have long established their strong defensive identity, and with Robert Saleh back at the helm

The Jets fired Saleh in the middle of the season, naming Jeff Ulbrich as the interim head coach. While they interviewed Ulbrich for the big job, they chose to go a different route, naming former Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn as their new head coach.

Saleh was previously the 49ers defensive coordinator from 2017–20 until taking the head coaching job with the New York Jets.

The San Francisco 49ers and head coach Kyle Shanahan today announced that Robert Saleh has been named as the team’s defensive coordinator.

The San Francisco 49ers hired Robert Saleh for a second stint as defensive coordinator on Friday night after a failed tenure as head coach of the New York Jets.

The 49ers already nailed the first step to bouncing back next season by hiring Robert Saleh to rebuild the defense.

Saleh was previously the 49ers defensive coordinator from 2017–20 until taking the head coaching job with the New York Jets.