49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is both Bruce Banner and The Hulk
The most indelible image from the 49ers’ triumph over the Rams last week was coordinator Robert Saleh letting loose on the sidelines.
He had plenty of reasons for the outburst. His defense prevented one of the league’s best offenses from converting a third or fourth down the entire game. A goal-line stand in the second quarter was a signature moment in a young season defined by the success of his defense during the 5-0 start.
Saleh’s screaming, flexing and high-fiving came after many believed the first-time coordinator was in over his head while San Francisco’s defense was a sieve during the past two seasons. In some ways, those struggles have set the foundation for what the NFL’s second-ranked defense has accomplished so far — and fueled the sideline eruptions from Saleh during the victory that announced the 49ers as sure-fire contenders to the rest of the NFL.
“They have been told they’re not good, they have been told that they shouldn’t be here, they have been told that they should all be cut, we have all been told that we should be fired,” Saleh said of his players this week.
“We got to this point because we’ve been working our butts off through adversity, through all the trials and tribulations that go with losing. Don’t forget what it took to get here and don’t forget what it’s going to take to keep it. So their mindsets are all in the right spot.”
Saleh has become known for his mantra, “All gas, no brakes,” which he lives by beyond football. His family in the offseason welcomed its sixth child. He’s an avid golfer with a single-digit handicap. He practices on a virtual setup in his home during his down time if he’s not playing on his favorite course in South San Jose. He’s a regular in the team’s weight room, he often wears cleats at practice and his calves are the size of grapefruits.
Nothing new for 49ers defensive coordinator
His players would argue Saleh is the same guy he’s been during the past two years. The key difference: the 49ers are winning games and getting much more exposure.
“Everybody’s like, ‘Oh, Robert Saleh’s going crazy on the sideline!” DeForest Buckner said. “But he’s been doing that ever since he got here. Obviously people are seeing stuff now because people are actually watching the games.”
Saleh isn’t always the demonstrative screamer. His weekly news conferences are often expansive and informative (even if he is a bit guarded knowing the week’s opponents will listen to his words to try and glean something for a schematic advantage). He’s Bruce Banner during the week and The Hulk on Sundays.
“I mess with him and call him Gandhi,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Saleh is a peaceful giant. Saleh is very relaxed and peaceful. He’s not like that (the sideline version) very much, that’s rare. He’s not a guy who’s going to (swear at) anyone. He’s a very good teacher, he speaks to everyone with a lot of regard, a lot of respect, but it’s cool to see him like that because he’s not always like that. He probably did black out and couldn’t control it. When you do that it’s very natural because he’s not putting on a show by any means because that’s not really how he is.”
The 49ers’ win last week pushed them to 5-0, which remains their best start since 1990, when they opened 10-0 en route to a 14-2 finish. It remains to be seen if San Francisco has that kind of staying power throughout the entire regular season, particularly while missing both starting tackles and the fullback due to injury.
Defense leads 49ers unbeaten run
But the defense has been the best in the NFC during the first six weeks of the season.
It ranks second in opponents’ yardage (237 yards per game) and scoring (12.8). The 150.2 average passing yards is the best in the league thanks largely to massive improvements made in the pass rush with the additions of Nick Bosa and Dee Ford. The secondary, meanwhile, has taken a massive leap forward.
That could be traced to the hiring of Joe Woods in the offseason, who replaced former secondary coach Jeff Hafley. Woods was given the title of “passing game coordinator” after spending the past two seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos.
Woods has helped Saleh tinker with the scheme in the back end. The basic coverage principles are mostly the same, but the 49ers are more often disguising their coverages and having their safeties play with more versatility.
Said Saleh: “What we’ve been able to do is just implement more coverages in terms of being more balanced with what we have. What Joe’s brought to us with regards to technique and fundamentals and all that stuff, he’s been fantastic. He’s been a fantastic addition. We haven’t skipped a beat since Haf (Hafley) left, he’s pretty good.”
Another one of Saleh’s go-to phrases: “Extreme violence,” which certainly doesn’t mesh with Shanahan’s ribbing and calling him Gandhi.
“If you don’t stress extreme violence it’s tough to play football,” Shanahan said. “He knows what it takes, but he just wears a bracelet (with ‘extreme violence’ on it). It’s not like it’s tatted on his face or anything.”
This story was originally published October 20, 2019 at 1:00 AM.
