George Kittle Uses Game of Thrones Reference to Describe Robert Saleh’s Return to San Francisco

The last time Robert Saleh was the 49ers' defensive coordinator, the team made it to the Super Bowl.

George Kittle Uses Game of Thrones Reference to Describe Robert Saleh’s Return to San Francisco

Robert Saleh and George Kittle (Images via IMAGO)

Perhaps a few teams in NFL history have had a Super Bowl hangover as bad as the San Francisco 49ers. The team went down a spiral in a season where running back Christian McCaffrey and star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk were hurt for most of the year. Despite Brock Purdy and George Kittle‘s best efforts, the 49ers’ ship sank early on, and the team failed to qualify for the playoffs.

A lot has changed in the off-season for the San Francisco 49ers. The team has a healthy Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk, a positive sign for the offense. But the biggest game-changer for the team is the return of Robert Saleh as the defensive coordinator. After his departure in 2020, Saleh took up the head coaching job with the New York Jets.

Unfortunately, that did not turn out too good for him. Now, Saleh is back where he belongs, and the 49ers are ecstatic to have him back. Star tight end George Kittle is glad that Saleh is back.

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. 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.

George Kittle said during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show

It is interesting to note that since Saleh’s departure, the 49ers have struggled to find stability at the defensive coordinator position. The team has gone through DeMeco Ryans, Steve Wilks, and Nick Sorensen, all of whom did not last long with the team. Wilks had the most success following Saleh’s departure as he helped lead San Francisco to a Super Bowl in 2023.

George Kittle believes Robert Saleh will have a significant impact on the 49ers’ defense

The tight end’s statement shows that he is excited to have Saleh back on his side. Speaking of his impact on the team, Kittle had nothing but praise to shower upon his ability to lead and inspire. Interestingly, the highest-paid tight end resorted to a Game of Thrones phrase to warn San Francisco’s opponents of their defense this season. “Violence is coming,” Kittle said.

Robert Saleh
Robert Saleh has an opportunity to redeem his image as a coach in the NFL with the 49ers (Image via IMAGO)

Despite his return to San Francisco, Robert Saleh heads a different roster in comparison to what he had to work with in 2020. This off-season, the 49ers made big moves to free up cap space. Most of the cuts came on the defensive side of the ball as the team parted ways with veteran starters and replaced them with rookies. The likes of Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, Javon Hargrave, and Charvarius Ward are no longer in San Francisco. It is the dawn of a new day in the Bay Area.

Robert Saleh has a lot more on his plate as he prepares nearly six rookies to start on the defensive side of the ball, while ensuring the communication between them and the veterans goes by seamlessly. All eyes will be on the defensive coordinator and the 49ers this year. After a disappointing performance in the 2024 season, it will be interesting to see how far the 49ers go this year.

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