George Kittle joined the "Dan Patrick Show" this week to discuss the upcoming fourth annual Tight End University gathering and all things San Francisco 49ers. During the conversation, host Dan Patrick asked if Kittle had hazed Brock Purdy during the quarterback's rookie year in 2022.
Kittle delightfully admitted that he did pull a prank on Purdy. However, it might not be categorized as "hazing," as the quarterback was probably more mildly annoyed than embarrassed.
"I put an Iowa football shirt in his locker," Kittle told Patrick. "It was his first day. He pulled it out, he turned around, looked right at me, and he goes, 'What's this doing in my locker?' I said, 'I have no idea, man.' The [equipment] guys here are crazy."
Kittle played college football at Iowa, while Purdy played at Iowa State, creating a nice little rivalry between the teammates.
The prank was relatively tame by past NFL standards. Kittle acknowledges that the level of hazing that once existed in the league is a thing of the past. Kittle's teammate, defensive end Nick Bosa, shared his thoughts on hazing during the 49ers' recent "State of the Franchise" event.
"I think they ended that," Bosa stated. "And I hated when people did it to me. I'm not going to make [the rookies] do anything."
Rather than embarrass first-year players, Kittle takes a different and unique approach.
"The most I like to do is I just like to have a conversation with the guy, just to see [how he reacts to] a little s--t talk, if I can say that," Kittle shared. "But just like, how are you going to respond to me? Are you going to be nervous and is that how our relationship is going to go? Or are you going to be able to just throw some zingers right back at me? And I've enjoyed that.
"That's one of the reasons I like Brock so much, because he was just throwing zingers right back at me. I was like, 'We're going to be great friends.'"
Kittle did manage to embarrass his quarterback last season after Iowa football beat Iowa State 20-13. A lost bet between the two forced Purdy to show up to a press conference wearing the head of Iowa football's mascot, Herky the Hawk.
Brock Purdy entering press conference room by paying off bet with George Kittle for Iowa's win over Iowa State. 😂 pic.twitter.com/k915iIKSHa
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) September 14, 2023
Purdy admitted that he wouldn't have gone easy on Kittle had the Cyclones won the game. He had the head of Iowa State football's mascot, Cy the Cardinal, ready to be sent to the Bay Area.