After his tenure as the head coach of the New York Jets proved to be a rather disappointing one, Robert Saleh finds himself back in San Francisco, the place where it all began. Saleh is set to take up his old post as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator while the team hopes he will help rekindle the flames that once made them the juggernaut of the NFC.
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Since Saleh’s initial departure following the 2020 season, a total of three different coordinators attempted to fill his shoes at San Francisco. And all of them failed. Now that Saleh is back in the building, he is proving to be a source of relief for the players. All the more for the team’s starting tight end, George Kittle.
During a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Kittle hinted that he was glad to be done with the frustrations that came with having a revolving door of defensive coordinators. When the host mentioned as much, the six-time Pro Bowler suggested that Saleh’s return was a bigger deal than some may have realized.
“That might be the underlying headline for the Niners; that Saleh is back in the building. He’s really good at his job, and I’m really excited that we somehow convinced him to be our defensive coordinator again,” said Kittle.
“He knows what he’s talking about, he’s inspiring, he gets the boys fired up, and he also just happens to be really, really smart. So, I’m pumped to have him back in the building,” elaborated Kittle, positivity exuding in his voice.
On behalf of the 49ers defense, Kittle just had one thing to say: “Violence is coming,” which Eisen rightly pointed out sounded “very Game of Thrones-ish.”
According to Kittle, the media has lost its influence over the 49ers. Not only does the team feel as if their rehiring of Saleh did not receive the proper attention and praise that they think it deserved, but the players have also decided to ignore their attempts at creating certain narratives.
In the most sarcastic tone that he could muster, the two-time All-Pro tight end apologized for the lack of drama involving the team this offseason. He is, of course, relishing the fact that he didn’t have to contend with any added QB issues this offseason.
“I am so sorry that the 49ers aren’t the centerpiece of some drama this year for the NFL media to talk about. We’re just not doing our jobs of being dramatic enough, I am so sorry for making you have to work a little bit harder and not have clickbait headlines… This is actually my first season without some type of quarterback drama, so it’s been fantastic,” stated Kittle.
Even though they seem to have managed to get the band back together, the 49ers will need everyone to be at their best should they hope to return to the playoffs. Question marks continue to surround both Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey, two of the most prominent offensive weapons of the team.
The tendonitis of McCaffrey will likely prove to be a make-or-break issue for the franchise, as Jordan Mason is no longer there to offset him. The offseason may have been relatively quiet, but the regular season result could very easily prove to be problematic for a 49ers team that seems to be on the brink of collapse.
