George Kittle finally got paid and secured his long-term future with the San Francisco 49ers. His teammates could not be happier to have football's best tight end locked up for years to come. That includes offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey, who joined KNBR on Thursday night and discussed Kittle's massive five-year contract extension.
"Every single person in this locker room is ecstatic for him," McGlinchey told Mark Willard. "I don't know that I've ever been around a teammate or a player that's more deserving of something like this than George. The way that he works, the person that he is, the leader that he is, and the energy that he brings to our team every single day that he's here is a testament to what he has become in not only our team, but the league.
"George is deserving of every single penny that he gets, and he's earned that through hard work, dedication, and being a great teammate.
"Obviously, I think he's one of the best football players, not just tight ends. I hate that they all say that George is breaking the tight end market. I get that he's a tight end, but he's the most-complete football player that I've seen on tape in the last two years. And for him to have this kind of recognition of that success, and the person and the leader that he is, we couldn't be happier and couldn't be prouder of him."
It isn't just Kittle's ability to haul in passes or shed defenders for significant gains that have earned him the reputation of being the league's best tight end. Kittle is also a valuable run-blocker, willing to put his body on the line and do whatever is asked of him. He excels at it, too.
While Kittle's Pro Football Focus run-block grade of 78.2 ranks third (behind Maxx Williams and Dallas Goedert) among qualifying tight ends, his 94.4 overall and 94.3 receiving grades (including playoffs) topped all NFL players.
"Our offense goes as he goes," McGlinchey continued. "A lot of the things that we're able to do out on the edges and out in space, a lot of teams just can't fathom doing that because they don't have the players that we do. And we're very fortunate that everything we do starts through setting the edges, and gaining gaps on people, and being quick off the ball in the run game, and George embraces that mentality better than anybody out there.
"He is a tight end, he likes to catch the ball, and likes to set the yards records of tight ends in the history of the NFL, but he would consider himself a blocker first. And that's why he is who he is. And that's why he's had the success that he's had. It's because he does the things that no one else is willing to do."
You can listen to the entire conversation with McGlinchey below.
