In a shocking turn of events, Robert Saleh was fired as the head coach of the New York Jets on Tuesday. His former mentor and current head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, Kyle Shanahan, expressed his surprise at the decision, stating he was “pretty shocked” by the news.
Following Saleh’s dismissal, San Francisco General Manager John Lynch reached out to his former colleague to offer his support. Lynch revealed during an interview with KNBR on Wednesday morning, “First of all, my heart goes out to Robert. And I talked with Rob yesterday. He’s a great friend. He always will be. His family, they’re great friends. And that was tough. He did a lot of good things there. He couldn’t get it over the hump, and they made a tough call.”
Lynch continued to praise Saleh, calling him a “really good football coach, really good human being,” and emphasized the strong ties Saleh has with the 49ers organization, having served as the defensive coordinator from 2017-2020. Despite his connection to the team, Saleh reportedly plans to take a break from coaching for the rest of the year, ruling out a potential return to San Francisco.
Regarding the current defensive coaching staff, Lynch expressed confidence in coordinator Nick Sorensen and assistant head coach/defense Brandon Staley. He stated that while the results may not have met expectations, he believes Sorensen was the right choice for the job and is supportive of his work.
As the 49ers gear up to face off against the Seahawks on Thursday night, they are focused on their upcoming game rather than speculation about Saleh’s potential return to the organization. The team ranks 10th in yards allowed and 12th in points allowed, showcasing the strength of their defensive unit under the current coaching staff. Despite the challenges they have faced, Lynch remains optimistic about the future and is committed to supporting his team as they strive for success on the field.
