49ers hire Saleh as DC, Hightower as special teams coach

San-Francisco-49ers-head-coach-Kyle-Shanahan-answers-questions-during-an-NFL-football-press-conference-Thursday,-Feb.-9,-2017,-in-Santa-Clara,-Calif.-(Marcio-Jose-Sanchez/AP)

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan answers questions during an NFL football press conference Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, in Santa Clara, Calif. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers have hired Robert Saleh as defensive co-ordinator and Richard Hightower as special teams co-ordinator for Kyle Shanahan’s new staff.

The team also announced the additions of seven other assistants on Friday, including the retaining of senior defensive assistant Jason Tarver and defensive backs coach Jeff Hafley from Chip Kelly’s staff.

Saleh gets his first chance as a co-ordinator after spending the past 12 seasons as an assistant for Jacksonville, Seattle and Houston.

Hightower returns to San Francisco, where he was assistant special teams coach in 2015. He spent last season in that same role with Chicago.

The other coaches hired are Johnny Holland (linebackers), Jeff Zgonina (defensive line), Marquis Johnson and Dustin Perry (strength and conditioning assistants), and Bobby Slowik (defensive quality control).

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