49ers' George Kittle on Robert Saleh Return: 'Violence is Coming'

49ers’ George Kittle on Robert Saleh Return: ‘Violence is Coming’ originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Since Robert Saleh left to join the New York Jets, the San Francisco 49ers have struggled to find a consistent defensive play-caller.

First, DeMeco Ryans was promoted to the defensive coordinator role. Then it was Steve Wilks. Through the years, only a few coaches could match the intensity and production Saleh was able to get out of his group.

After a disaster ending in New York, Saleh is back as the 49ers defensive play-caller.

And the rest of the organization is thrilled with that reality.

“Violence is coming is what I would say,” 49ers tight end George Kittle said Tuesday on The Rich Eisen Show. “He’s really good at his job, and I’m really excited that we somehow convinced him to be our defensive coordinator again.

“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.”

San Francisco is coming off a down season last year, which was largely due to injuries on both sides of the ball. Losing several key starters on defense this offseason makes their quest to get back to championship contention even harder.

If Saleh can keep the group afloat in 2025, though, San Francisco should be able to overcome its struggles last season.

They may keep Saleh around for the long term as well.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.

49ers’ George Kittle on Robert Saleh Return: ‘Violence is Coming’

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