The San Francisco 49ers have been quite a stout defensive team under head coach Kyle Shanahan, but that standard slipped in 2024, where the group struggled to defend the run and did not play to expectations.
That led to the quick firing of first-year defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen, who was promoted to the role after San Francisco fired Steve Wilks the year after one season as well.
Needing a big spark, the 49ers splashed by hiring Robert Saleh, who invigorated the team’s defenses from 2017 to 2020 before being hired as the head coach of the New York Jets.
Saleh was coming into a tough situation, as the 49ers had subtracted many veterans and instead were planning to rely on younger players, taking defensive pieces with their first five selections in the 2025 NFL Draft.
And yet, the 49ers’ defensive coordinator flourished in Week 1, holding the Seattle Seahawks to 13 points as he shut down both the run and the pass game with a creative game plan.
Seattle looked to get the ball out of Sam Darnold’s hands quickly, so it makes sense that he had a 2.59-second average time to throw, but the 49ers were able to get to the ball quickly and were opportunistic with two forced fumbles.
When younger players are seeing key snaps, confidence is extremely important, and that oozed from the 49ers on Sunday defensively.
“It’s huge [having Robert Saleh in the building],” linebacker Fred Warner said after the game. “I’ve talked about it all off-season. Just the confidence that you have as a player with such a dialed-in coach like that. It was great again having him back on the sideline, making adjustments.
“I kind of had a feel for how he was going to call the game, so throughout the game when he was making calls, being on the same page, it was great. It wasn’t perfect, but you love to learn off of a win.”
Defensive end Nick Bosa could sense some of the nerves from Saleh before the game, given how many new pieces were being integrated into the defense, but proudly called him the best defensive coach in the NFL.
“He’s as good of a defensive coach in the league,” Bosa said. “You could just feel [in] the lead-up to the game, how important this is to him. He’s trying to get everything perfect before we step out on the field so that everybody knows. And with a lot of young guys, he was a little nervous coming in. We all were.”
With the amount of change the 49ers are facing defensively, it’s important to have such a vocal figure on the sidelines like Saleh is. And, it’s clearly rubbed off on the team.
Earlier in the offseason, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir revealed a conversation he had with Saleh about his role as the CB1 this season, which boosted confidence. Both he and Renardo Green looked very solid in the season opener on the outside.
Saleh raved about Dee Winters’s growth throughout the offseason. He and Fred Warner were flying to the ball and making an impact on Sunday as San Francisco’s top linebackers. And the defensive line, despite not having any premier talent outside of Bosa, was able to shut down Seattle’s run game after a few tough plays.
Through Week 1, it’s clear that the 49ers’ biggest addition this offseason was Saleh. And he might end up being the key to their success all season long, both with the creativity he calls plays and the confidence he rubs off on his players.
About the Author: Insidethe49
