Then-San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh cheers on his team from the sideline during the first half against the Seahawks in Seattle on Nov. 1. The New York Jets' new head coach is charged with turning around the fortunes of a franchise that has missed out on the playoffs the past 10 seasons — the NFL's longest active drought — and has a few generations of frustrated fans impatiently waiting for at least a chance at another Super Bowl. After all, it has been 52 years and counting. (AP file photo)

NEW YORK — Robert Saleh was trudging along in his professional life nearly 20 years ago, trying to find satisfaction and direction.

His brother’s harrowing experience during the 9/11 attacks changed all that.

Now, Saleh is the head coach of the New York Jets, coming to the city that shaped his life during one of the country’s darkest moments.

“I think everyone — somehow, some way — is somewhat impacted from 9/11,” Saleh said during his introductory video news conference Thursday. “And, you know, going through my brother’s experience and the tragedy that he experienced, being able to self-reflect on what I was doing at that moment and realizing that I had a passion for football really triggered this whole thing.”

Saleh was 22, and had graduated earlier that year from Northern Michigan University after playing football as a tight end from 1997 to 2000.

He was working as a newcomer in the financial business in Detroit on that day in the late summer of 2001. His brother David was going through training as a financial advisor that morning in New York City.

In the South Tower. At the World Trade Center.

David, Saleh’s oldest brother, was able to narrowly escape that day. More than 2,750 did not.

It was then that an emotional Robert, relieved his brother was safe, began to contemplate his future. A few months later, he decided he needed to follow his dream — to be a football coach.

Saleh went from Dearborn to a few stops at the college level to stints with Houston, Seattle and Jacksonville before being hired as San Francisco’s defensive coordinator in 2017. He was part of a Seahawks staff that won the Super Bowl in 2014 at MetLife Stadium — across the Hudson River from where the attacks happened.

Now Saleh will call that stadium home. And his head coaching debut with the Jets will coincide with the 20th anniversary of the attacks.

“I mean, it’s … I’m supposed to be here and I believe that God does things for a reason,” Saleh said. “And I believe this is one of them. And I’m really, really excited to be here and continue this journey with Jets Nation.”

Saleh, whose energy and passion on the sideline made him a favorite among his players and fellow coaches, was even keeled yet assertive in his first news conference as a head coach.

“Get used to the mantra: all gas, no brake,” Saleh declared.

He has already been texting players, also ran into some at the team facility. Saleh understands it will take plenty of work to lift up a franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs in 10 seasons — the NFL’s longest active drought.

“But make no mistake,” he said, “that our goal is to win championships.”

That’s something the Jets haven’t done since the glory days of Broadway Joe in 1969, when Joe Namath guaranteed and delivered the franchise its only Super Bowl win.

Saleh made NFL history when he was hired, the first Muslim American head coach in NFL history, something he called “humbling.” Now he’s tasked with being the coach to restore a franchise to respectability.

“You can’t hide from the past,” he said. “But you can encourage people to judge you on the future.”

Saleh will not call the defensive plays after doing so the last three seasons with the 49ers. Instead, he will oversee the entire operation with Jeff Ulbrich running the defense and Mike LaFleur, brother of Green Bay Packers’ head coach Matt LaFleur, the offense. That’s unlike the past two seasons, when Adam Gase ran New York’s offense and left the defense to Gregg Williams.

Among the key decisions Saleh and the front office will have to determine is the future of Sam Darnold, who hasn’t lived up to lofty expectations after being the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2018.

Saleh is high on Darnold, calling him “extremely intelligent” with “unbelievable arm talent.” But the Jets hold the second pick in April’s draft, so there’s a possibility they could choose a quarterback. There are also rumors that Deshaun Watson wants out of Houston. So Saleh understandably can’t declare Darnold his starting QB for next season.