Robert Saleh didn’t get the job he wanted, but the job he accepted could lead to a gig he desires next year. Saleh rejoined the San Francisco 49ers as their defensive coordinator Friday and the announcement was made shortly after the last of the three head-coaching openings for which he was a candidate was filled.

Later on Thursday, then-Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen had a change of heart, the Jacksonville Jaguars quickly moved to hire him as head coach and Saleh, who told Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch that he’d return to the 49ers if he didn’t get a head-coaching job, stayed true to his promise.

The San Francisco 49ers and head coach Kyle Shanahan announced that Robert Saleh has been named as the team’s defensive coordinator.

Following his dismissal as head coach of the New York Jets, Robert Saleh has wasted no time finding his next opportunity in the NFL. The former Jets leader has returned to the San Francisco 49ers, where he previously thrived as defensive coordinator.

Saleh, who was fired in October as the New York Jets head coach five games into his fourth season, generated interest on the head-coaching front and was seen as one of the frontrunners for the Jacksonville Jaguars job. He also interviewed with the Las Vegas Raiders and Dallas Cowboys.

After three seasons as the head coach of the New York Jets, the San Francisco 49ers announced on Friday that Robert Saleh will return as the defensive coordinator. The 49ers parted ways with their former defensive coordinator,

A former New York Jets coordinator who spent almost a decade with the franchise is moving on to the San Francisco 49ers.

Now that the San Francisco 49ers have hired Robert Saleh, some believe he'll bring a key defensive player from the New York Jets with him.