Tight end George Kittle is known for being one of the most upbeat and positive personalities in the San Francisco 49ers locker room. Even amid a challenging 6-9 season, Kittle remains optimistic and is committed to giving maximum effort as the team heads into the final two games of the season, hoping to build momentum for the offseason.
Kittle has been quarterback Brock Purdy's most reliable target this season. With 967 receiving yards, Kittle is just 33 yards away from surpassing 1,000 yards for the fourth time in his career.
Purdy, who entered the league in 2022 as the final pick of the draft, has greatly benefitted from having Kittle as a teammate. On Friday, the quarterback reflected on the significance of their relationship.
"Dude, he's been great to me regardless of the circumstances of winning or losing," Purdy said of Kittle. "He sees something in me that's pretty good. And he's just been nothing but great encouragement to me. He's real to me about what I can do and where I can get better. He's real and that's why I love him.
"And more than anything, he's a guy that's going to do anything for you when you step on the field. Off the field, he's got your back. And for our team, we've been in some tough situations this year, and that dude has been one of the dudes that comes to work every single day.
"All the guys have, but George especially. Every Sunday, he shows up and he's doing the dirty work, he's blocking, he's making tough plays, he's catching the ball, breaking tackles. George has done it all."
Despite the 49ers facing adversity this season, with several key players sidelined due to injuries, Kittle has remained relatively healthy, missing only two games—a remarkable feat considering his punishing and physical style of play.
"And so, we're all extremely blessed to have George as a teammate and look up to him a lot," Purdy added. "And to be able to, going through this kind of stuff is tough, but when you have guys like George, [FB Kyle Juszczyk], [LB] Fred [Warner], [DL Nick] Bosa, guys that care for this organization, this team, they're brothers."
Purdy concluded, "They make it worth coming to work for. And so, very thankful for all of them."