Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
49ers-Chiefs TE rivalry? George Kittle ‘incredibly excited’ for Travis Kelce, working to ‘stay on the field’
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
There is no rivalry between San Francisco 49ers tight end
George Kittle and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. The two share a mutual respect for one another.
Kittle congratulated Kelce when the Chiefs All-Pro broke his record this past season for the most single-season receiving yards by a tight end. It also provided Kittle
something else to chase.
Before this season, few would have ranked Kittle behind anyone when it comes to identifying the game's best all-around tight end. Kelce's record-breaking 2020 campaign has altered the conversation a bit and swayed some of the votes his way.
With Kelce and the Chiefs preparing to chase their second consecutive championship, Kittle was asked about his Kansas City counterpart.
"Travis Kelce is having an incredible year," Kittle said Tuesday on
Good Morning Football. "He's a hell of a tight end. Yeah, he broke the record. He's playing football at an incredibly high level right now, and I'm incredibly happy for him because whenever tight ends play at a high level, it's better for all the other tight ends in the league."
Kelce caught 105 passes for an impressive 1,416 yards receiving yards and 11 touchdowns this past season, breaking Kittle's record from two seasons earlier. Injuries limited the 49ers tight end to just eight games, and he hauled in 48 passes for 634 yards with two scores in 2020.
"Does it tick me off? No, not at all," Kittle continued. "Availability is the best ability, and you've got to be on the field to make plays. You've got to be on the field for people to see what you can do. That's all I'm going to be doing this offseason, just doing whatever I can to try to stay on the field and just continuing to watch other tight ends across the league progress and get better. And it's just really fun to do that.
"Travis Kelce, like I said, is having a hell of a year, and I'm incredibly excited for him to be able to play in another Super Bowl."
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
George Kittle hopes 49ers offense can 'take another step forward'
George Kittle recently spoke with ESPN during the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, where he joined other NFL stars for the golfing event. Of course, the conversation shifted toward football, with Laura Rutledge asking Kittle to reflect on the team's 2023 season, its Super Bowl defeat, and the motivation it provides for the upcoming season.
The tight end believes San Francisco maintained a competitive roster this offseason and is gearing up for another run at a championship. He emphasized the importance of maintaining good health and continual improvement for a successful upcoming season.
"Brock Purdy is a fantastic quarterback, and he's only going to get better because he's young," Kittle said. "And we were fortunate enough to be able to keep our entire
49ers sign WR Trent Taylor, reuniting with former draft pick
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
Draft Watch: Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley visiting 49ers on Wednesday
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Rapoport: 49ers send clear message to teams inquiring about Brandon Aiyuk
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
