Quick rise: How 49ers DC Robert Saleh went from embattled to head coach candidate

When coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch sat at a table in front of reporters on New Year’s Eve just over 12 months ago, a slew of questions were hanging over the 49ers’ two prominent decision makers at the conclusion of the their disappointing 4-12 finish to the 2018 season.

How was the team planning to get better after going 10-22 combined over the first two years of their regime? Was making the playoffs in 2019 the only way to make up for the lost campaign after Jimmy Garoppolo went down to a season-ending knee injury after just three starts?

And what about first-time defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who saw a handful of young defensive players fail to make necessary improvements while the unit struggled mightily during the second season of his tenure?

Shanahan and Lynch were resolute in their defense of Saleh, despite his defense finishing 28th in opposing scoring, setting an NFL record for the fewest takeaways (seven) and interceptions (two) while seeing highly drafted players such as Solomon Thomas, Reuben Foster, who was released due to off the field issues, and Ahkello Witherspoon not produce like the cogs they were brought in to be.

“I’m with him every day,” Shanahan said of Saleh. “So I know how good of a coach he is.”

Added Lynch: “You still have to make that scheme your own and that sometimes takes some time. I think what I’m excited about, I think we’ve grown much closer to finding who we are as a defense, our identity.”

It sounded like Shanahan and Lynch were speaking in platitudes.

After all, if the plan was to replace Saleh, they likely would have done so without first criticizing him publicly. Shanahan and Lynch have done well to keep inside conflicts out of the public eye. That wasn’t going to change over their embattled defensive coordinator who dealt with a slew of key injuries while playing opposite an offense that was devoid of a starting quarterback.

Turns out Shanahan and Lynch were right to continue rolling with Saleh, who has gone from the sports talk radio chopping block to interviewing for the Browns head coaching job in almost exactly a calendar year.

Saleh became a head coaching candidate because the 49ers are entering the playoffs with the NFL’s No. 2-ranked defense, which allowed the fifth-fewest net passing yards since 2006. Saleh’s defense faces an interesting test Saturday againgst the Minnesota Vikings in playoffs.

“I 100 percent believe he’s deserving of a head coaching job. He’s done a great job,” cornerbacker Richard Sherman reiterated this week before hosting the Vikings on Saturday in the divisional round. “He commands the room really well. He has a great way of relating to his players, holding them accountable.”

Shanahan, who was a coordinator for nine seasons with four different teams before coming to San Francisco, has a good understanding of how outside perception of coaches can shift drastically in a short period of time. He believes Saleh will ultimately be better for riding the roller coaster of having to answer questions about his job security to being viewed as one of the best coaches at his post in the league.

“Sometimes people aren’t used to that. You’re not going to be until you go through it,” Shanahan said. “It happens for coordinators usually. Sometimes it doesn’t happen until you become a head coach. I think that stuff is great for people. I hated going through it myself. It’s not fun for yourself and it’s definitely worse for your family. But, it also is the reality of our business.”

Saleh spent part of the 49ers bye last week preparing for his interview with the Browns in the Bay Area on Saturday. Cleveland has interviewed six other candidates: Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefansky, Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who held the same job with San Francisco from 2011 to 2014.

There was a report from the Boston Globe Friday indicating Saleh may no longer be in the running for the job as the Browns have narrowed their focus to McDaniels, who interviewed for seven hours on Friday, Daboll and Stefansky, whom Saleh will go against head to head on Saturday. Cleveland, after all, may prioritize an offensive mind to resurrect former No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield after his disappointing second NFL season.

Saleh declined to provide specifics this week when asked about how his interview with Cleveland’s brass went.

“I’ll be honest, I’m very grateful for Cleveland coming out here and their hospitality and all that,” he said. “But I’m so locked in on Minnesota. With respect to everybody, I’d like to keep it about them.”

So what’s changed for Saleh this season?

Improved personnel is the most obvious. Rookie defensive end Nick Bosa is already one of the best players in the league at his position and he appeared in all 16 games this season despite entering last spring’s draft facing questions about his durability. The team also added Dee Ford in a trade, who led the NFL in turnover worthy plays with the Chiefs last season, for a second-round draft pick.

Ford and Bosa allowed the 49ers to unlock their other former first-round picks DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead. Armstead had a breakout campaign leading the team with 10 sacks ahead of his free agency in the spring while Buckner was named a second-team All-Pro for the first time in his four seasons.

San Francisco also upgraded Saleh’s assistant coaches. Defensive line coach Kris Kocurek brought an energetic, attacking focus to the talented group that was missing from his predecessor, Jeff Zgonina, who employed more of a read-and-react approach.

Former Broncos defensive coordinator Joe Woods was brought in to take over the secondary as passing game coordinator after Jeff Hafley left to become a co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State. Players have said Woods’ greatest strength is his attention to detail and knowledge of opponents’ tendencies. Woods would be a leading candidate to replace Saleh as defensive coordinator should leave.

Then there’s health. The 49ers started eight different combinations of safeties last season. This year, that number dropped to three, with oft-injured free safety Jimmie Ward enjoying the best season of his career at safety after playing predominately cornerback earlier in his career.

If just about everything went against Saleh in 2018, he had almost a perfect storm of fortune this season to complement his value as a coach which was apparent to Shanahan and Lynch during his first two seasons on the staff. And if the Browns do go another direction, the 49ers will enter 2020 knowing they’ll have at least a fourth season to enjoy Saleh as a defensive coordinator.

“Saleh has been good. He’s always been good,” Shanahan said. “That’s why it was never a question for me. I knew how good he was. We all get better, too.

“Everyone in this business knows how it’s going to be if something bad does happen. That happens in sports. You’ve got to be able to deal with it. Saleh is a great coach and I hope to have him here for a long time. But, I also know, whether it’s this year, whether it’s next year, whatever, Saleh is too good and too unique. It’s a matter of time before he’s a head coach.”