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Mere moments after news broke that Brian Shottenheimer was going to become the Dallas Cowboys’ new head coach, Tom Pelissero broke the news on social media that Robert Saleh was removing himself from the interview process to return to San Francisco as the 49ers’ new defensive coordinator in 2025.
Now granted, this isn’t the most out-of-left-field piece of news you will read today in the NFL world, as it has been widely reported that Saleh was the top name on Kyle Shanahan’s wish list and the team was willing to make him one of the highest-paid assistant coaches in the league as a result. Still, the idea of returning to his former home instead of landing another head coaching gig felt risky, especially considering what just happened with Bobby Slowik.
Well, after the Cowboys, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Chicago Bears all filled their head coaching vacancies, and the New Orleans Saints remained unreachable due to snow, Saleh clearly examined the field, weighed his options, and decided to try it all again in 2026, when he will likely be in higher demand.
Will this reunion work? More likely than not, yes; even amid intense unrest, the Jets’ defense was still very good under Saleh, and that should translate in San Francisco, where the 49ers have similar, if not better, personnel. The only real question becomes, can the 49ers capitalize on what could be a one-year window with Saleh, as their defense hasn’t been the same since DeMeco Ryans, his protege, left to become the Houston Texans’ head coach.
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