Robert Saleh is back in familiar territory, and he’s making the most of it. After a rocky four-year run as the Jets’ head coach, Saleh has returned to San Francisco as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator-and despite being without two of his biggest stars in Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, he’s orchestrating one of the more resilient defensive efforts in the league this season.
It’s the kind of bounce-back campaign that’s turning heads around the NFL, and with the 2026 head coaching cycle looming, Saleh is expected to be one of the more sought-after names on the market.
In a recent conversation with Josina Anderson on The Exhibit podcast, Saleh didn’t shy away from his aspirations.
“Most of us - I don’t know if every coach does - but we all want to get to the top of our profession,” he said. “But honestly, Jo, I’m just in this space right now where I’m solely focused on trying to do my best for the guys here.”
He added, “It’s not a secret. We all want to be at the top of our profession and show that we can achieve greatness at the top of our profession, but - and I say this with great humility - my focus is here, and just trying our best to get to the playoffs and see if we can make some damage and host a Super Bowl here in our building.”
That’s classic Saleh: driven, grounded, and laser-focused on the task at hand.
His time with the Jets was anything but smooth. The defense?
That was never the issue. Saleh built a tough, disciplined unit in New York that could go toe-to-toe with just about anyone.
But the offensive side of the ball was a different story.
The Zach Wilson experiment never took off, and that quarterback miss loomed large over the entire tenure. Saleh’s initial choice for offensive coordinator, Mike LaFleur, didn’t pan out and was eventually dismissed.
From there, the situation got even more complicated. Enter Nathaniel Hackett, brought in largely because of his connection to Aaron Rodgers - a move that didn’t exactly align with Saleh’s original vision for the offense.
It’s a tough league, and head coaches often get tied to quarterback development whether they like it or not. For Saleh, it was a lesson in how much the offensive side of the ball - especially at the QB position - can make or break a tenure.
Now, back in the Bay Area, Saleh is showing why he was such a hot commodity in the first place. Even without Bosa and Warner, his defense is playing with grit, discipline, and that signature Saleh energy. And while he’s keeping the focus on the present - getting this 49ers team into the postseason and making a legitimate run - there’s little doubt that teams across the league are watching closely.
If another head coaching opportunity does come his way, Saleh will bring with him not just the experience of leading a team, but the hard-earned lessons that come with it. He’s already proven he can build a top-tier defense.
The next step? Showing he can lead a full roster - offense, defense, and everything in between - to sustained success.
And this time around, he’ll be doing it with a clearer sense of what it takes.