Tight End University recap: Highlights from Thursday

Rohan Chakravarthi
Jun 25, 2021 at 10:50 AM


placeholder image

Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.

This week marked the beginning of the long-awaited "Tight End University," which was formed by 49ers tight end George Kittle, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and former NFL tight end Greg Olsen.

The event gathered around 50 NFL tight ends in the Nashville, Tennessee area, and its first day was spotlighted by the NFL on its Instagram story.

To start the day, Olsen shared that the event would span over 2.5 days, covering everything about the tight end position.

"We got 50 of the top tight ends in the NFL together for a 2.5 day summit on all things tight end. Day one today's been awesome."

On the Pardon My Take podcast, Kittle said that a motivation to start the event was his feeling that the tight end spot is extremely valuable, yet very under-appreciated in football, highlighting the salary disparity with other positions.

"Like [Greg Olsen] said, we're still getting paid less than a lot of other positions, and I feel like the tight end does a lot. You look at the last 10 Super Bowls, I think every team that's won has had a dominant -- like a very, very talented tight end. It has to do with winning Super Bowls. I think that's the most important thing, so you might as well pay the tight ends. I just kind of want that number to keep going up."

During the event, Kelce was shown giving tips on footwork and direction, showing his usual energy to the eager learners.

Kittle seemed to enjoy his camp as the group behind him was seen focusing on its releases off the line of scrimmage. The tight end once again highlighted his goal of seeing everyone get better.

"We're working on our releases out here," Kittle said, "we're out here getting better guys, that's fun."

Many notable faces were in attendance, including Atlanta Falcons rookie Kyle Pitts, who came out to learn from the veterans and soak up the information in before his first NFL training camp.

In fact, Kittle mentioned the Falcons rookie on the Pardon My Take podcast and how beneficial the two-day camp would be in smoothening that transitional period from college to the NFL.

"Like I said, when tight ends come together, you can learn," Kittle shared. "What's more important? Like (Falcons rookie) Kyle Pitts, he's going to be really good, but the NFL is faster than college, and if he can sit in a room for two days and learn from guys like Greg Olsen, me, Travis Kelce, Marcedes Lewis, Luke Stocker — I mean, you've got vets in there — you can learn a thing or two. It's just going to take guys' careers, hopefully, on an uphill trajectory."

The event resumes today, the summit's second day, which will give players another opportunity to improve their craft as they head towards training camp.

Enjoy this article? Follow us to never miss more!

Powered by Follow.it


Comments

More San Francisco 49ers News

placeholder image

Recap: 49ers display top form in dominant 38-13 victory over Bears

By Kirk Larrabee
Dec 8

The San Francisco 49ers still face long odds to make the postseason this year after three months of injuries and inconsistent play, but for at least one half of football against the Chicago Bears at Levi's Stadium on Sunday, they looked more than any other point this season...


placeholder image

Recap: 49ers' playoffs hopes fade after falling to Rams in 12-6 snoozefest

By Kirk Larrabee
Dec 12

Usually, when the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams meet on the football field, the results tend to be entertaining if not exciting. Thursday night's meeting was the opposite, and the result might wind up being the last straw for the 49ers when it comes to their...


placeholder image

Shanahan highlights McCaffrey's continued influence and Guerendo's opportunity with 49ers

By David Bonilla
Dec 5

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has faced significant setbacks this season. After missing the first eight games due to Achilles tendinitis, McCaffrey returned to start four games, only to be sidelined again with a PCL injury. While rookie Isaac Guerendo is...


placeholder image

49ers look to carry momentum into Thursday's clash with Rams

By David Bonilla
Dec 8

The San Francisco 49ers hope Sunday's dominant win over the Chicago Bears marks the beginning of a late-season surge. It will take an impressive run in the final four games—and some outside help—to keep their playoff hopes alive. The situation looks daunting,...


Latest

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone