Despite a series of significant injuries last season, San Francisco registered as a defense in the top 10 in total yards (fifth), rush yards (seventh) and passing yards (fourth).
Similar rankings have occurred on Saleh’s previous professional charts in the previous 16 seasons. In the 2014-16 Jacksonville, he coached the Jaguars linebackers, and the team improved to sixth overall and fifth against the pass in their last season with Jags. From 2011-13, he was Seattle’s defensive quality control coach with a focus on LBs and the Seahawks defense rose to first place in the general league, against the pass and the score in his last year in the Great Northwest in 2013.
He won three different titles in six seasons with 2005-10 Houston and the Texans moved into the top half of the league in many defensive categories in 2009, his first of two seasons as an assistant coach of linebackers.
Along the way, Saleh had a hand in the rising careers of players like linebackers DeMeco Ryans and Brian Cushing in Houston, LBs KJ Wright, Bobby Wagner and Super Bowl XLVIII MVP Malcolm Smith with Seattle, Paul Posluszny and Telvin Smith in Jacksonville, and D-linemen Nick Bosa and DeForest Buckner in San Francisco.
Saleh grew up in Dearborn, MI and started at TE for four seasons at Northern Michigan University. Before entering the professional coach category, Saleh extended his roots in Michigan with two seasons as an assistant coach at Michigan State and one at Central Michigan, before a brief stint at the University of Georgia in 2005, before moving on to Houston.
Saleh’s parents are Lebanese, he is Muslim and speaks Arabic. He and his wife, Sanaa, have four sons and two daughters.
“Throughout the interview process, it became clear that this is the right place to call home,” said Saleh. “The passion that Christopher, Joe and Hymie have for this team is evident and I look forward to partnering with them to bring us where we want to be.
“You never travel these roads alone and there are so many who helped along the way, but without my wife, Sanaa, this journey would have been impossible. Thank you for everything. We have six incredible children, with one on the way, and now we are all proud to be part of Jets Nation. “