Former tight end Brent Jones still follows the San Francisco 49ers religiously from his home in Dallas, Texas. He watches every game and tries to avoid traveling on Sundays so he can get in front of a television to watch his former team.
"I'm an obsessive NFL fan and a big fan of the Niners," Jones told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area on the latest 49ers Insider Podcast.
Jones is also a big fan of the current regime and feels the 49ers are headed in the right direction. He remembers a much younger Kyle Shanahan being taped to a goal post when his father, Mike Shanahan, was the offensive coordinator in San Francisco.
"I definitely have a couple of good Kyle memories," Jones said. "That was one. I was not an instigator on that."
While Jones blamed his former offensive linemen for the goal post fiasco, he does like the connection Shanahan has to the great history of the team, of which Jones was a part. He feels the team is in good hands with Shanahan at the helm and is on the verge of success.
It wouldn't be a good interview without asking one of the greatest tight ends in franchise history about George Kittle. What does the three-time Super Bowl champion, three-time All-Pro, and four-time Pro Bowl selection think about the 49ers' second-year tight end?
"I really do like George a lot," Jones said. "I think that he's got a really good route-running, smooth type of nuanced receiving skills, the way he kind of attacks routes. Certainly, the way that he catches the ball. Any young player, Matt, and you know this, you're looking for more consistency. He can explode and have six or seven catches, can take it to the house from 60 yards, but he's got to be able to focus and sometimes, instead of getting upfield, you've got to look that ball into your hands and make the easy catches, as well as the tough ones. I think that just comes with playing time and consistency.
"He was a huge part of Week 1. He didn't get as many opportunities this last week, and that happens throughout the course of a season the way defenses play you. And I think he probably got on the radar screen Week 1 and so the Lions probably tried to do a few things to take him away.
"But I think as a young tight end, underrated speed, certainly a guy that has good athleticism and good hits. I've been able to see him adjust to balls that some of the bigger stiffer tight ends can't go ahead and make the adjustment. I think a lot of that leads to a potential great tight end prospect for the 49ers in the future."
In addition to following the NFL each week, Jones is also an avid fantasy football player. Kittle is on Jones' team in one of the two leagues in which he is currently participating.
"I was pumped Week 1," Jones said. "I was a little less pumped this last week. We're going to have to get him more opportunities. Two catches, 22 yards isn't going to bring my team to victory."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Jones, in which he also discusses playing fantasy football even during his playing days, the future of the 49ers, and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, below.