The All-Pro tight end sends a warning to the NFL
Robert Saleh’s return to the San Francisco 49ers has sent waves of optimism through the fan base. Following his hiring with the New York Jets, DeMeco Ryans filled in very well, but the 49ers have been searching for a long-term answer at defensive coordinator since Ryans’s departure for Houston.
After a season with Nick Sorensen as the defensive coordinator, the 49ers were intent on securing Saleh’s return. They essentially handed him the keys to the car, with the team bringing in several former Jet players in free agency and opting for a draft filled with defensive players. The 49ers’ run defense was abysmal in 2024, and Saleh is tasked with fixing the issues and revamping the defense with a younger group.
49ers star tight end George Kittle offered some insight into expectations for Saleh’s defense in 2025 during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show.
“Violence is coming is what I would say,” Kittle remarked on Tuesday with Eisen.
All gas, no brakes is Saleh’s motto and the 49ers defense seems to lack the energy of Saleh and Ryans’s time as defensive coordinators.
Kittle went on to praise Saleh by saying: “He’s really good at his job, and I’m really excited that we somehow convinced him to be our defensive coordinator again. He knows what he’s talking about, he’s inspiring, he gets the boys fired up, and he just happens to also be really, really smart. So, I’m pumped to have him back in the building, just hanging out with him a little bit, talking about stuff. You can just tell he’s ready to roll this year, and he’s gonna get the boys fired up.”
John Lynch praised Saleh’s evolution as a defensive playcaller in a meeting with Fred Warner, and the entire team seems to be bought back in with the return of the former Jets head coach.
With the new additions to the 49ers’ defense in the draft and Saleh’s return, it’s hard not to be optimistic about the defense returning to the top ten in the NFL.