The Jets agreed in principle that Robert Saleh, the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers for the past four seasons, would become their head coach.
Saleh will become the 20th Jets coach in the franchise’s history and the 18th coach appointed to take over Green & White’s reins before the start of a new season.
Under Saleh’s direction in 2020, San Francisco had a defense in the top 10 in total yards (fifth), rush yards (seventh) and passing yards (fourth). In 19, San Fran finished second overall in the league in total defense – with its 281.8 yards / game allowed by the team since 1997 – and first in defense of passes – with 169.2 yards / game allowed arriving as the best in the NFL since the defense of Rex Ryan and Jets allowed 153.7 passing / game yards in 2009. After training that 49ers unit, Saleh received the Sporting News Coordinator of the Year award.
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.
Saleh won three different titles in six seasons with 2005-10 Houston and the Texans moved to the top half of the league in many defensive categories in 2009, his first of two seasons as an assistant coach of linebackers.
A native of Michigander, Saleh grew up in Dearborn and started at TE for four seasons at Northern Michigan University. Before entering the professional coach category, Saleh extended his Michigan roots 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.