The San Francisco 49ers have been on the verge of winning a Super Bowl in the last few years. However, the NFL hasn’t been kind to them in that regard. They’ve exchanged deep playoff runs with injury-plagued seasons but now, everything’s changing in one regard, according to tight end George Kittle. The team brought back Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator, and Kittle thought it was a good time to warn the league about what’s coming.
During an interview on The Rich Eisen Show, Kittle was asked about Saleh’s return, and what that meant to the team. “Violence is coming,” Kittle responded. Clear as day, the 49ers will once again have a relentless defensive unit according to the tight end.
Saleh is coming back to the team after a stint as the New York Jets head coach, where he was unceremoniously fired. The Jets went south afterwards, proving that Saleh wasn’t the problem. Now, back at the place where he first make a name for himself, he’s ready to remind the NFL of what he’s capable of doing as a defensive coordinator.
This won’t be Saleh’s first rodeo
In the early years of Kyle Shanahan‘s tenure as the Niners head coach, Saleh was instrumental in making the team’s defense a juggernaut. From 2017 to 2020, Saleh’s job as DC was remarkable. He made progress every season and by 2019, his defense ranked second-best in total yards allowed in the NFL. By 2020, he once again had a top 5 defense.
Robert Saleh of the New York Jets looks on against the New York Giants during the first quarter of a preseason game at MetLife Stadium on August 24, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
While his time with the Jets wasn’t as successful as he’d like, one must admit that his side of the ball, which is defense, always held their part of the bargain. The Jets had the worst defense in 2021, but as soon as 2022 rolled around, Saleh fixed the mess and the Jets went from dead-last to fourth-best. In 2023, they were even better, as they ended as the third-best defense.
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The Niners can dream about the Super Bowl again
What makes a team a Super Bowl contender is how complete their roster is. Yes, being healthy and heck, having some luck, will play a big part on whether you lift the Lombardy trophy or not, but your team must be great overall.
With Saleh taking the defensive side of the equation and lifting it up to high standards, San Francisco knows the defense won’t be an issue. On the other hand, Kyle Shanahan is both the head coach and playcaller on offense. Regarded as one of the most gifted offensive minds in the game, Shanahan should work his magic once again. If healthy, the sky is the limit for this team.
