Will Robert Saleh return to SF?

By: Jake Rajala

Robert Saleh once stood on the top of the mountain as a defensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers. Saleh then earned himself a ticket to be the head coach of the New York Jets. His team didn’t exactly shine in the Big Apple. He wasn’t as tragic as Adam Gase, but he did fail to create a competitive team. With that said, a fascinating question arises: is Robert Saleh overrated? My answer is: absolutely not.

It takes time to build a winning football team. We witnessed Dan Campbell start 3-13 in his first season. This past season, he turned the team into a juggernaut, as they won 15 games!

In Saleh’s first season, the team ranked 32nd in yards allowed. After that, NY ranked fourth in yards allowed, third in yards allowed, and then third in yards allowed! Saleh proved that he didn’t need Nick Bosa and Fred Warner to showcase an elite defense.

The issue was: Saleh didn’t have time with the right QB.

Saleh didn’t display an elite overall team, but he struggled to find quality QB play. Even Bill Belichick couldn’t escape a team that had poor QB ability. His team ranked 28,28, and 29 in points scored.

I don’t believe that every defensive-minded head coach gets a pass for having a mediocre QB. Dennis Allen created an aggressive, talented Saints defense. So should he get another opportunity as a HC with a superb QB? My answer is a resounding “no”. He had his second chance with the Saints – after failing with the Raiders.

Saleh deserves a second chance. Plus, he didn’t just only orchestrate a quality defense, he made a Top-5 defense.

Saleh has drawn interest from the Dallas Cowboys to be a head coach. Mike Zimmer has proven to be a slouch, as the Boys ranked 31st in points allowed last season. A defense with Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, Demarcus Lawrence, should be always be a Top-5 defense. Dallas ranked first in points in 2023. A Saleh-led defense with an elite passing offense from Dallas would result in a team that could finally dethrone the Philadelphia Eagles.

If Saleh returns as a DC to San Francisco, we may see a 49ers squad that returns to the Super Bowl, instead of being on a roller coaster. The 49ers ranked 29th in points allowed last season. They suffered from injuries, but they still had a few key pieces for most of the season. According to Bleacher Report, the 49ers will make a record-breaking contract for Saleh to return as a DC.

We witnessed Ben Johnson chose to return to the Lions as a coordinator instead of being a HC. Perhaps Saleh will be sold on the pride as a 49ers DC instead of a HC on a questionable team. Steve Spagnuolo has also chosen to be a DC on the best team in the league (Kansas City Chiefs) versus take a HC gig elsewhere.

I would also like to see the Saints show interest in Saleh. They have Demario Davis, Cameron Jordan, Tyrann Mathieu, Carl Granderson, and Bryan Bresee on defense. They need a shiny DC after Allen got fired. Assuming Derek Carr stays healthy, the Saints can put up fireworks on offense.

At 45 – Saleh is young in coach years. He has enough interest from around the league that he can choose to follow his heart. I expect him to chase a Lombardi trophy as a coordinator and then choose to become a HC with the right QB down the road.