49ers Make Robert Saleh NFL's Highest-Paid Defensive Coordinator in Return

Jan 25, 2025, 02:50 AM

Robert Saleh is returning to the San Francisco 49ers as their defensive coordinator after interviewing for head coaching positions with the Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, and Jacksonville Jaguars. Saleh, who previously led the 49ers' defense from 2017 to 2020—including a Super Bowl appearance—before becoming the New York Jets' head coach, was the team's top choice to replace former defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen. He had informed the team that if he did not secure a head coaching role, he would return to San Francisco, and he never considered other defensive coordinator positions. The 49ers have made him the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the NFL, with owner Jed York paying premium money to secure his return.