San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle caught up with NBC Sports Bay Area at Tight End University (TEU) last week, where he shared insights on his growing connection with quarterback Brock Purdy and expectations for the 2025 season.
While Purdy didn't attend TEU this year—he was participating in a charity golf event—he recently began training with Kittle in Nashville, a sign of the duo's continued commitment to building chemistry on and off the field.
Purdy recently purchased a home in Nashville, a move made possible after signing a five-year, $265 million contract extension that made him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL. But according to Kittle, success hasn't changed the young signal-caller.
"The same guy," Kittle told 49ers beat reporter Jennifer Lee Chan. "... He's just so on it all the time, seeing the way that he preps for every practice. That's one thing I love seeing [from] him. He's already out there as early as he can be, just getting his arm loose, getting his whole body, his torso, loose so he can go out there and throw. It's just fun to be around him."
New 49ers tight end Luke Farrell, working with Purdy for the first time, echoed Kittle's sentiment, praising the quarterback's consistency.
"Good dude, nice guy, very calm," Farrell said. "And just goes about his business. And just every day, you're getting the same thing. It's great."
Kittle also expressed enthusiasm over the 49ers locking in their franchise quarterback, especially given Purdy's journey from the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft to NFL star.
"I love when homegrown guys get paid," Kittle said. "It's one of my favorite things. We drafted him, he played really well for us, and we paid him. The best way to create memories and to create relationships with guys is to go through hard struggles with them on a football field, or to win a lot of football games with them.
"We've won a lot of games. We've gone through some heartbreak together. But that just builds a good bond, and now we're going to continue to play with each other for a long time."
So, what does Kittle expect from the 49ers in 2025 after a disappointing six-win campaign last season?
"My outlook for the 2025 season? Run the heck at outside zone, stay really healthy, and then have a lot of fun," Kittle said. "And if those things happen, it'll be a fun year."