Trying to block either of the Bosa brothers is a memorable experience for any NFL player, but a few lucky individuals have had the opportunity to test their skills against both.
49ers tight end George Kittle is one of those players who knows what it's like to face off against both Joey and Nick Bosa, who have gotten headlines for their elite edge-rushing ability since the two of them were in high school in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Kittle has had his share of chances against Nick during 49ers practices, and this week he was able to match up against Joey when the 49ers held joint practices with the Los Angeles Chargers at the Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa.
So what's it like to go to battle against each Bosa? Kittle's eyes lit up a bit after Friday's practice when he was asked about the reps he had against the three-time Pro Bowl performer Joey this week.
"It was awesome," Kittle said. "I love Joey. Great competitor. He just flips a switch and he goes from a super cool, calm, collected dude to a bear, honestly. It was really fun to go against him. I didn't get any reps against him today, which it is what it is, but had some good reps against him yesterday. He's out there making all of our guys better because he's one of the best in the league at what he does. If we can block him, I think we can block other guys."
Kittle then dove into some comparisons of the Bosa brothers, which were not surprisingly filled with a number of similarities. For starters, Kittle said both players share somewhat identical movements that can look deceptive.
"They move very similarly. That's a word, right? But it's just different how they move," Kittle said. "It looks slow, but it's very fast and powerful. They're like water, just going to the least amount of resistance. That's how they kind of find it."
Both Bosas also have a Jekyll-and-Hyde demeanor, Kittle says. They can both be laid back off the field but will flip a switch once they get into game action.
"They're both very cool, calm," Kittle said. "They're chilling, vibing by themselves, and then put them on a football field and they're violent, aggressive, and they just make play after play after play. They're relentless and don't turn off until they get onto the sideline, and then they're back to their normal, chill self. It's very strange and I love everything about it."
Not everything about the Bosa brothers is the same, however. There's one notable difference between the two of them for Kittle, which makes a big difference in what it's like for him to compete against each player.
"The biggest difference is Nick's just a little shorter, so he always has the good leverage," Kittle said. "So he's always hitting you from lower to high. He's always getting under your pads. Joey's about my size so it's easier for me to get leverage on him. But they're both amazing football players. I'm just excited to see Nick Bosa back on the football field because I think he's one of the best football players in the NFL."
And whether it was Joey Bosa or someone else, Kittle was just happy to get a chance to practice against someone from another team after battling his teammates in training camp for the last few weeks. The two teams will get the chance to do it again when they face off in a preseason game on Sunday (4:30 p.m. PT).
"It's just fun to compete against someone else and not to headbutt Arik Armstead six times a day," Kittle said.
