Robert Saleh admits 49ers were ‘tired’ heading into bye week

Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh had an admission to make about the San Francisco 49ers’ energy levels going into Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season.

Saleh is going through his second stint with the 49ers, rejoining the franchise this January. He first represented San Francisco from 2017 to 2020 before leaving for the New York Jets’ head coaching job.

Saleh has been successful despite the numerous injuries that have occurred in his area of expertise. The 49ers are competing for a playoff spot, standing out as one of the best teams in the NFC.

Saleh has seen a dip in form throughout 14 weeks of the campaign, per reporter David Lombardi and Vic Tafur. He noted the fatigue levels of the team, seeing how the bye week was important for them after their Week 13 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.

“49ers missed 15 tackles in Cleveland, which is a big amount. But Robert Saleh chalks up a lot of that damage to the late bye week, saying there’s a correlation between fatigue and missed tackles. He expects a surge in performance there coming off the bye,” Lombardi wrote.

“I think we were a little tired. Maybe why we had so many missed tackles in Cleveland,” Saleh said.

What lies ahead for Robert Saleh, 49ers

The bye week came at a crucial time for Robert Saleh and the 49ers. They have been going nonstop for 13 weeks, needing a long resting period before gearing up for Week 15.

In the meantime, San Francisco will look to maintain its solid standing in the playoff picture. The squad has a 9-4 record on the season, holding the third spot in the NFC West Division standings. They are above the Arizona Cardinals while trailing the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams. In terms of the NFC standings, they sit at sixth place. They are above the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions while trailing the Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The 49ers will continue preparations for their upcoming matchup, being at home. They host the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 14 at 4:25 p.m. ET.

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