New York Jets Coach Reflects on How San Francisco 49ers Helped His Career

New York Jets coach Robert Saleh enters a game week against the team that helped him become a head coach.

Jul 27, 2024; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh talks with media during training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

For Robert Saleh, this Monday’s opener with the San Francisco 49ers is a bit more than just a season opener.

The New York Jets head coach, now entering his fourth year, is preparing to face his former team for the first time since he took over. It’s a part of the NFL schedule, as AFC and NFC teams face each other once every four years.

The Jets and 49ers will face each other on Monday Night Football. New York is opening the season on MNF for the second straight season.

The 45-year-old Dearborn, Mich., native made three other NFL stops as an assistant coach before he landed with the 49ers in 2017 as their defensive coordinator. It was his first coordinator job and he was working under a new regime in the Bay Area.

John Lynch, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021, was named the general manager. Kyle Shanahan, the son of two-time Super Bowl champion coach Mike Shanahan, was the new head coach.

In their third season together they reached the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. Saleh’s unit was sixth 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).

Less than two years later he was hired to take over the New York Jets. There is no question in his mind that his time in San Francisco propelled him to his first head-coaching job.

Last week, during his final press conference before a short break for Labor Day, Saleh showed his appreciation for the 49ers and how the organization impacted his career.

“I’ll forever be indebted to the Shanahan family,” Saleh said. “Papa Shanahan, who had a tremendous influence on me. Kyle obviously, challenged me every day to look outside the box, John (Lynch) and his tutelage. I mean, it’s just an elite organization of the York family and the way they operate day-to-day. I think it’s a class organization and I’m forever indebted to them.”

#Jets HC Robert Saleh said he is ‘forever indebted’ to the #49ers organization for what they’ve meant to his career. 🥹

Off the top of his head Saleh name dropped 12 players that helped turn things around + talked about lessons from the Shanahan family he learned & how special… pic.twitter.com/YeCg08M92e

— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) August 30, 2024

This could be a key season for Saleh, who hasn’t had a winning campaign with the Jets and is coming off back-to-back 7-11 seasons.

New York made a splash before last season and acquired quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But, he tore his Achilles tendon on the fourth play of the regular season and the Jets didn’t really have a back-up plan.

Rodgers is now fully healthy, but the Jets are trying to resolve a holdout with edge rusher Haason Reddick, whom New York traded for this offseason but won’t play without a new deal.