George Kittle

Sam LaPorta or Brock Bowers will be the next tight ends to earn over $20 million per year

Hopefully it's something that Sam LaPorta will cross next year. Down LaPorta and then you got Brock [Bowers] in a couple years. Yeah, there's a, there's a lot of guys that need to get paid... hopefully the next guy's getting over 20 million.

Tight ends are the most ready-made position to transition into a career in the WWE

I do think that tight ends are the most ready made for the transition into WWE e. Is that, is that gonna be your, your career after football? [Kittle]: You know what, whatever door is open. I'm not saying no to much.

The 49ers will bounce back and win some football games in 2025 after their 'season from hell'

I feel like we brought most of our offense back and we should be able to score points because we basically went entire season without Christian McCaffrey... now that he's back, pair him with myself, Kyle Juszczyk, Jauan Jennings, Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall... Williams is still pretty good too. I think we're gonna win some football games and it's gonna be pretty fun.

The 49ers would have beaten the Eagles in the 2023 NFC Championship if Brock Purdy hadn't been injured

I was a huge fan of our game plan. ... I believe that we would've won with Brock. 'cause I think he's such a good player. ... At least it would've been a close game. 'cause that everyone's like, oh, we beat you by 24. I'm like, dude, come on. I didn't have a quarterback for two quarters.

A Christian McCaffrey touchdown is the surest bet in all of sports

I think the surest bet in all of sports is Christian McCaffrey touchdown. He just scores every time no matter what... in our offense, you can see that in the seven years that I've been here is when we get to the red zone, we're gonna run the ball and try to run the ball in. And then you throw Christian into it, and it's like, okay, well we're gonna design a play for Deebo to score. You could be the second read, George, you're gonna be here. And then fourth read one-on-one versus their Mike linebacker is gonna be Christian McCaffrey. Oh, that's an easy tolo it in there.

Trent Williams is the best football player in the NFL

In my opinion, he's [Trent Williams] the best football player in the NFL. Like it's him, Aaron Donald, and I like Nick Bosa is pretty close. Mahomes is up there. But like I think Trent Williams is like by far on a playing field by himself.

NFL tight ends are significantly underpaid relative to their production compared to wide receivers

Travis Kelce is either first or second behind Devonte Adams of most receiving yards in the last six years. And he pays half of what the best wide receivers are paid. And so that kind of seems like it's just water in the bridge... he plays tight end and you don't really get a lot of attention and stuff.

Brandon Aiyuk would have 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns if he were a number one option

I think one guy that you guys are gonna love to watch is Aiyuk... if he was in an offense where he was the number one choice and got 12 targets a game, he'd probably have 1400 yards and 15 touchdowns a year. He's fantastic.

Brock Purdy actually is a guy and is more than just a system quarterback

Brock Purdy actually is a guy. Honestly, his first game, Jimmy gets hurt, he comes in and Miami just started to zero blitz us five straight times. To be able to step up in a pocket knowing that you're about to get hit by a blitzing Mike linebacker — that takes some balls. He's got a lot of intangibles... there's certain things you can't really coach.

Iowa will average 15 points per game and win 9 games this season

I think we're [Iowa] gonna score, we're gonna average like 15 a game. Out of the 12 games we're gonna have at least 6 pick sixes, some punt blocks, and that's why we're gonna get over 15... that'll get you guys to nine wins.

Sam LaPorta is the best tight end in the 2023 draft class

I think LaPorta is the best tight end in the draft class. I think the Lions got a complete steal. I liked the other tight ends too, but I spent two weeks training with Sam LaPorta and the way he moves — he's got the dog in him. He's kind of quirky, kind of goofy too, he's gonna fit in well.

Every Super Bowl-winning team has an elite tight end

If you look at like the last or ever, how many Superbowl winning teams, every team has had like a really, really talented Titan on their team.

The hardest part about playing tight end is having to be an elite blocker and an elite receiver simultaneously.

I think it's the fact that you have to be good at everything. You can be an elite route runner. You can catch the ball really well... but then if you can't, like, hold your own in the run game and you can't, like, take a hit in the face by a 300-pound defensive end, then they kind of have to call plays around you instead of you being the focal point. You have to be very good at pass pro, running routes, setting the edge, being able to crack on a safety, being able to block a defensive end.

The University of Iowa is the real Tight End U.

It's Iowa [that is Tight End U]. I got Dallas Clark on my shirt right now for a reason, baby... I got Hawkinson. I got Fant in the first round. Never before done.

I would have drafted Kyle Pitts first overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.

I'm a Kyle Pitts fan. Just watched him last year. Like, the dude just scores touchdowns... I wanted him to go, like, first overall, like, to be, like, the first tight end to ever go first. I get it, but I would have drafted him first.

Super Bowl winning teams always have a talented tight end, so the position should be paid more.

If you look at the last year, 10 Super Bowls, I think every team that's won has had a very, very talented tight end. So, like, it has to do with winning Super Bowls. So, I mean, I think that's the most important thing, so you might as well pay the tight ends.

I vomit before every single NFL game as part of my routine

As soon as we come back in from warmups, I go puke... I always think I'm like, all right, I'm going to step faster now. And that's my positive mindset.

Kyle Shanahan is a wizard who can predict exactly when defenders will hold based on the formation

I said the dude's a wizard. [Kyle Shanahan] said that like when he installed the play on Thursday for a third down play. He has looked when they get misformed like we're in this formation and this guy covers you he always holds so just push him inside and break out. He's gonna hold you and I was like, all right, sounds good. And then it happened.

90% of football is played above the shoulders; the mental side separates elite players

The Joker tattoo for me football. I think it's like 10% your physical abilities because everyone in the NFL is like an All-American football player. They're all the best high school football player best player on their team. And so what can Elevate you to the next level is, you know, I think 90% of the game is played above your shoulders just in your head like the mental side of it.

I would run a faster 40-yard dash time today than I did at the NFL Combine

I know for a fact, I'd run a faster time right now for sure not even close. I think most... I hit puberty like age 23, I swear and so like I could definitely run faster now.

I throw up before every single football game

As soon as we come back in from warm-ups. I go puke... hundred percent for every game... I always think I'm like, I'm a step faster now. That's my positive mindset.

I actually prefer blocking to catching the ball

I like blocking a lot like my favorite thing... when it's play call is like, all right, you're just going to go just throw some people out of the club. You're like fuck. Yes. Let's go.

Jimmy Garoppolo's chin line will lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl win

Jimmy [Garoppolo] I think is one of the strongest chin lines in the NFL and with that, you know that chin line it's going to, you know, definitely let us know Super Bowl this year.

If you don't embrace the physicality of football, you are playing the game wrong

If you don't embrace the physicality of football, you're playing the game wrong. I always say that as a kicker... I say that all the time.

There are many number one tight ends in the NFL, but Rob Gronkowski and Tony Gonzalez are the standard

Man, I think there's a lot of number one tight ends right now... I'm going to keep going now. It's working for me so far... [Who's the best?] Gronk and Tony [Gonzalez].

Kyle Shanahan's offensive installs are outrageous

Every install meeting that [Shanahan] does is absolutely outrageous... he explains it so fast. He'll go through 60 plays in about 15 minutes and then you guys got all that, and we're out on the field practicing.

Pancaking a defender is better than catching a touchdown

If you can take a defensive end and bend him over backwards and put his back on the turf, that's one of the greatest feelings of all time.