The San Francisco 49ers are 2-0, much to the surprise of many NFL fans and talking heads in the media.

People didn’t necessarily know what to think of the 49ers heading into the year, but considering they were mostly healthy at the start of the season, there was some optimism surrounding them.

Injuries have plagued this team over the past two games, as several key playmakers have already been injured, including Brock Purdy and George Kittle.

Their future outlook remains to be seen, but regardless of injuries, there are plenty of reasons for the 49ers to keep playing hard.

One of the reasons is the return of Robert Saleh, who has rejoined the 49ers as their defensive coordinator.

Saleh has traditionally gotten along well with players, which LB Fred Warner confirmed in a recent conversation shared via “Coach Yac” on X.

“This dude knows everything. It gives such confidence for a player to go out there and play free. I love having him back,” Warner said.

Fred Warner was asked what’s the difference between this year’s DC and last year’s DC now that Robert Saleh is back:

“Saleh’s been around the block. He’s been there and done it at a high level for a long time. He knows football through and through. Not just defense, but offense,… pic.twitter.com/SRqRyBxJKj

— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) September 16, 2025

Warner seems to respect Saleh and what he brings to the table as a coach for this organization, which is all a coach can ask for from their players.

Respect is earned, not given, at least in this league, and Saleh needed to ensure that players respected him after losing his head coaching job with the New York Jets.

The 49ers’ defense has played well through two games, and if Saleh’s influence continues, the sky is the limit for this unit for the rest of the season.

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