After his head coaching stint with the New York Jets, Robert Saleh has returned to the San Francisco 49ers in the role he held from 2017 to 2020—defensive coordinator. The reunion has fans and players excited, hopeful that Saleh can revitalize a defense that underperformed last season.
But not everyone was immediately at ease with the news. One veteran, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, admitted he was a bit nervous.
Lenoir, a fifth-round pick in 2021, had never played under Saleh, who left for New York before Lenoir's arrival. And while adapting to a new coaching style can be daunting, that wasn't what made Lenoir nervous.
"Me, initially I was like, kind of nervous," Lenoir said Wednesday during the Dwight Clark Legacy Series event, "because I had just screamed at him when we played the Jets. I had made a play, and I had screamed at him. I didn't know he was going to remember that."
The 49ers opened last season with a 32–19 win over the Jets. And when asked if Saleh remembered the incident, Lenoir confirmed—with a laugh—that he did.
"He brought it up the first meeting," he said. "It was a funny [moment]."
While the situation may have been a little awkward at first, Lenoir is embracing Saleh's energy and leadership.
"He's a very energetic person," Lenoir said. "The energy he's going to bring to the room, that he's already bringing to the room, he's putting a lot of confidence in the secondary, and just us, and just with coverages that we're playing."
Saleh isn't the only coach with whom Lenoir has made a negative impression.
In his first NFL offseason, Lenoir posted a video from his rookie minicamp showing him going up against wide receiver Austin Watkins Jr., and making contact during a non-contact drill. That decision cost head coach Kyle Shanahan a $100,000 fine.
"I was like, 'I'm about to get cut,'" Lenoir recalled. "Yeah, I didn't talk to him for about a year. I was so nervous. I didn't want to upset him."
Fortunately, the 49ers kept their faith in Lenoir, and on Wednesday, he was honored with the prestigious Dwight Clark Award, given to the 49ers player who best exemplifies Clark's spirit of teamwork and camaraderie.