How 49ers DC Robert Saleh Benefited From Joining the Packers

49ers Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh benefited greatly from joining the Packers in 2024 as a consultant. Here is how.

Jan 12, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Green Bay Packers offensive consultant Robert Saleh on the sidelines during warmups against the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC wild card game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Before reuniting with the San Francisco 49ers to be the defensive coordinator again, Robert Saleh spent half of 2024 with the Green Bay Packers.

That part of his road gets overlooked as he's constantly mentioned jumping from the New York Jets to the 49ers. But he did join the Packers first back in Oct. where he served as a offensive consultant.

Saleh could've easily stayed at home and gotten away from football. No one would've blamed him for that choice since the Jets were still paying him after firing him.

However, he chose to get back into football shortly after losing his head coaching position. It says a lot about Saleh's love for the game of football.

In fact, joining the Packers may have been to reignite that love. On Thursday, Saleh reflected on his role with the Packers, where he indicated that he benefited from it.

"You know I joke with Matt, I think it was more therapy for me than I was a help for him," Saleh said. "But it was just trying to give him a defensive perspective regarding, looking at the, from an offensive standpoint, watching the defense. Giving them thoughts on rules and what may or may not work.

"But I'm, again, forever grateful for Matty for opening the door to his building and allowing me the opportunity to work there just because of the, from a mental space. It was, like I said, more therapeutic than anything for me.”

It sounds like Saleh needed to get away from the dramatics of Aaron Rodgers and the clown show that is the Jets. Saleh went from an unstable environment to a structurally sound one in Green Bay.

Now, he rejoins the 49ers, where it's the standard of being structurally sound. That is why he didn't entertain taking another job elsewhere if it wasn't to be a head coach.

Saleh will forever be grateful to the Packers for opening their doors to him as it allowed him to decompress from the circus in the New York.