Relentlessly positive George Kittle is once again the NFL's top tight end
Few players in the NFL are as relentlessly positive as San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle. Maintaining such outward and infectious optimism might have been difficult during the 49ers' recent three-game losing streak but, following back-to-back wins over the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked on Tuesday about […]
Few players in the NFL are as relentlessly positive as San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle.
Maintaining such outward and infectious optimism might have been difficult during the 49ers' recent three-game losing streak but, following back-to-back wins over the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked on Tuesday about the consistently upbeat energy of an All-Pro who has had plenty to smile about of late.
Shanahan joked that Kittle was "more nervous his rookie year [2017]", adding: "He didn't have the ponytail yet then and didn't have as many tattoos."
But Shanahan was also effusive in his praise of Kittle's approach and the impact it has on his 49er teammates.
"Kittle's always a positive guy. If he's talking, and he does a lot after his rookie year, that's always positive, he's always going to be upbeat and stuff. I love that because that's him. Sometimes I don't enjoy it as much when at practice and I don't think there's much to be positive about and I can see him going around being all positive like he is. Then you realize that's who he is and he's always like that. So guys count on him for that and I think it helps him, makes him stay at a certain level, makes him be a leader in his way to our guys."
Such positivity has likely come easier to Kittle in recent weeks as he has exploded for 11 catches for 205 yards and two touchdowns over the course of the last two games. He has 432 receiving yards over the last four games for the Niners.
Kittle's 15.1 yards per reception lead the NFL among tight ends with at least 10 targets, with his 11 receptions of 20 yards or more tied for the most among tight ends with T.J. Hockenson.
Only Mark Andrews has (6) has more touchdowns than Kittle's five among tight ends, while only fellow former Iowa Hawkeye Hockenson (737) has more receiving yards than Kittle's 648. Kittle is on course to surpass 1,000 yards receiving for the first time since 2019, when the 49ers made the Super Bowl.
In terms of all-round impact, none of his contemporaries can match Kittle for all-round impact this season.
The gold standard
Per Pro Football Focus, Kittle has the highest overall offensive grade (89.7) and the best receiving grade (88) among tight ends with at least 10 targets. He is ranked third in run-blocking grade (79.9) for tight ends with at least 50 run-blocking snaps and is 10th in pass-blocking grade (78.2) among players at his position with a minimum of 10 such snaps.
Those numbers are reflective of Kittle's recent performances, which have seen him excel racking up yards after catch in the open field and beat linebackers downfield for huge explosive plays while also creating holes for a run game that is finding its rhythm again after a recent slump and succeeding in blocking edge rushers one on one.
Health has often been the knock on Kittle, whose all-action style of play lends itself to injuries. Kittle embraces the brutality of the position he plays, and that can be to both his benefit and his detriment.
This season, though, Kittle has played all 10 games and, following his latest surge, is playing better football than any tight end in the NFL.
Perfect timing
His upturn is well-timed, as the 49ers face their biggest game of the season so far on Thanksgiving, San Francisco traveling to the Pacific Northwest to face the Seattle Seahawks in a game that could prove key in deciding whether the Niners retain the NFC West title.
Kittle scored two touchdowns as the 49ers clinched the division in Seattle last year. Asked on Sunday about an upcoming stretch with two games against the Seahawks either side of an NFC Championship Game rematch with the Philadelphia Eagles, Kittle was typically positive.
"Very excited about Thursday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks," he said.
"All that means is Seattle's going to be a little angry and it's going to be a great game up there. It's one of my favorite atmospheres and places to play. They absolutely hate us and what a great fan base to absolutely hate us. It's really fun."
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