.png) Saleh with the New York Jets in 2024 | |
| San Francisco 49ers | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive coordinator |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | (1979-01-31)January 31, 1979 (age 46) Dearborn, Michigan, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Fordson (Dearborn, Michigan) |
| College: | Northern Michigan (1997–2000) |
| Career history | |
As a coach: | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season: | 20–36 (.357) |
| Coaching profile atPro Football Reference | |
Robert Saleh (born January 31, 1979) is an Americanfootball coach who is thedefensive coordinator for theSan Francisco 49ers of theNational Football League (NFL). He was previously the head coach of theNew York Jets from 2021 to 2024. Saleh has also been assistant coach for theHouston Texans,Seattle Seahawks,Jacksonville Jaguars, and 49ers. He has appeared in two Super Bowls, one each with the Seahawks and 49ers, winningSuper Bowl XLVIII with the former.
Born toLebanese immigrants[1] inDearborn, Michigan, Saleh is a 1997 graduate ofFordson High School[2][3] He attendedNorthern Michigan University inMarquette from 1997 to 2001,[4][5] where he earned a degree in finance and was a four-year starter for theWildcats, earning all-conference honors as atight end.[2][6]
Saleh's brother David was in theSouth Tower during theSeptember 11 attacks inNew York City in 2001 and saw the fireball from the initial plane's impact on theNorth Tower from the building's 61st floor. After ignoring calls by the public intercom within the South Tower to return to their offices, he made it down to the 24th floor before the second plane hit, this time around 50 floors above in his tower. He safely made it to the lobby and was able to escape to safety.[7] Saleh credits this in providing the spark for him to pursue his dreams of coaching football.[8]
Saleh began his coaching career at the collegiate level in 2002. He spent four years working as a defensive assistant withMichigan State University (2002–03),Central Michigan University (2004)[6] and theUniversity of Georgia (2005).[2]
In 2005, Saleh was hired as an intern with theHouston Texans, working with the defensive unit.[9] In February 2006, he was retained inGary Kubiak's staff as a defensive quality control coach under defensive coordinatorRichard Smith.[9][10][11] In January 2009, he was promoted to assistant linebackers coach.[12][13]
In February 2011, Saleh was hired as the defensive quality control coach for theSeattle Seahawks underPete Carroll.[14] He spent three seasons with the Seahawks, including their2013 championship season when they defeated theDenver Broncos inSuper Bowl XLVIII.[3] During this span the defense was known as theLegion of Boom.
Following the Seahawks' 2013 championship, Saleh was named linebackers coach for theJacksonville Jaguars under head coachGus Bradley.[15][16] Following Bradley's dismissal, Saleh was not retained under new head coachDoug Marrone.
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On February 13, 2017, Saleh was named defensive coordinator for theSan Francisco 49ers under new head coachKyle Shanahan. Shanahan and Saleh previously were assistant coaches for theHouston Texans from 2006–2009.[17]
During the2019 season, the 49ers defense was sixth in the league in forced turnovers (27), second in total defense (281.8 yards per game), first in passing defense (169.2 yards per game), and fourth in sacks (48). This was the first time since2003 that the 49ers finished in the top 10 in both scoring and yards per game.[18] Saleh helped lead the team to a 13–3 record and aSuper Bowl LIV berth, where they lost to theKansas City Chiefs, 31–20.[19][20]
On January 14, 2021, Saleh signed a five-year contract to become the head coach of theNew York Jets.[21]
On September 12, 2021, Saleh lost in his head coaching debut against theCarolina Panthers by a score of 19–14. Saleh won his first game as a head coach three weeks later in a 27–24 overtime victory over theTennessee Titans. In his first season as head coach, the Jets finished 4–13,[22] missing the playoffs for the eleventh consecutive year.[23] In the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Saleh led the team to 7–10 record in both seasons, missing the playoffs.[24][25]
On October 8, 2024, Saleh was fired by the Jets after the team began the season with a 2–3 record. Saleh finished his tenure in New York with a 20–36 (.357) record.[26]
On October 23, 2024, Packers coachMatt LaFleur confirmed to reporters that he had enlisted Saleh in a consultant role to help him with the offensive gameplan, but that his role would be "fluid."[27]
On January 24, 2025, Saleh was rehired by theSan Francisco 49ers as their defensive coordinator.[28]
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| NYJ | 2021 | 4 | 13 | 0 | .235 | 4th inAFC East | — | — | — | — |
| NYJ | 2022 | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 4th in AFC East | — | — | — | — |
| NYJ | 2023 | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 3rd in AFC East | — | — | — | — |
| NYJ | 2024 | 2 | 3 | 0 | .400 | Fired | — | — | — | — |
| Total | 20 | 36 | 0 | .357 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |||
Saleh and his wife, Sanaa, have five sons and two daughters.[16] Saleh and his wife speak Arabic.[29]
Saleh is ofLebanese descent.[30] As part of an NFL heritage program,[31] he has occasionally worn a patch of thenational flag of Lebanon sewn onto his sideline gear.[32][33] Upon his hiring by the Jets, Saleh became the firstMuslim head coach in NFL history.[34][35] He is also the fourth Arab-American head coach of the NFL, afterEd Khayat (Philadelphia Eagles 1971–1972),Abe Gibron (Chicago Bears 1972–1974), andRich Kotite (Philadelphia Eagles 1991–1994), who are all also of Lebanese descent.[36]
