San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is making his rounds at Radio Row this week. After jumping on KNBR this morning, he joined the RapSheet and Friends podcast with Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Actually, he probably did the latter first since it was likely recorded earlier. Kittle will also join PFT LIve later on Thursday.
In 2018, Kittle became the NFL single-season record holder for receiving yards by a tight end. Rapoport asked if his newfound fame has changed his life. Is he recognized more as he walks around?
That's when Kittle shared an amusing story. He often gets mistaken for backup quarterback C.J. Beathard, who was his teammate at Iowa before the two became NFL teammates in San Francisco.
"We have the exact same facial hair," Kittle said. "He's like 6-2, I'm like 6-4, white guys from Iowa, same facial hair, right? Yesterday, a dude just ran at me (as) I'm leaving the aquarium. The dude ran at me (and yelled), 'C.J. Beathard!' I was like, 'Oh my goodness.'
"Even in our hotel in Santa Clara, where we go before games, I walk in, three to four people every time (say), 'What's up C.J.?' It's crazy.
"(As) George Kittle, I can hide. But as C.J. Beathard, I am out there."
Rapoport went on to encourage Kittle to smear Beathard's name by tripping fans or signing autographs by writing, 'F off."
"I have signed as C.J. Beathard multiple times," Kittle revealed. "I do that. If someone calls me C.J., I'm like, 'OK, I'm C.J.' Here you do. I do that often."
So if you have a Beathard autograph somewhere, it may actually be Kittle's.
You can listen to the entire nearly eight-minute conversation with Kittle, which kicks off at about the 20-minute mark, below.