San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is among several NFL stars participating in this year's American Century Championship golf tournament at Lake Tahoe. When the media caught up with the All-Pro, the conversation naturally shifted to the 49ers and their outlook for the upcoming 2025 NFL season.
San Francisco is coming off a disappointing 6-11 campaign in 2024, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Following a significant offseason roster overhaul, which included parting ways with several veteran contributors and bringing in rookies and under-the-radar free agents, analysts remain uncertain about the team's potential for a bounce-back.
Kittle, always an optimist, believes the team is built to rebound and considers last season an outlier for the always-ambitious organization.
"I still feel like we should be able to score points," Kittle told Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.
And there's good reason for his confidence. Despite the turnover, the 49ers have retained several core offensive pieces. Kittle was one of three cornerstone players who signed contract extensions this offseason, joining quarterback Brock Purdy and linebacker Fred Warner in securing long-term deals.
Kittle praised Purdy's rise from overlooked rookie to franchise quarterback.
"To go from the last pick in the draft to one of the highest-paid players in the NFL, I'm just so happy for him and so proud of him," Kittle shared. "He's someone who worked his ass off this offseason — I know he's working right now while I'm golfing. So he'll do just fine."
Another key to San Francisco's offensive success will be the health of running back Christian McCaffrey. The former NFL Offensive Player of the Year was limited to just four games last season due to Achilles tendinitis and a PCL injury. His absence for much of the season significantly contributed to the team's struggles.
McCaffrey has reportedly looked healthy this offseason and is expected to enter training camp in top form. The big question is whether the star running back can return to his 2023 dominance or if concerns about durability will resurface.
"When you have, in my opinion, the best running back in the league, it makes your offense click a little better," Kittle said—before admitting his opinion might be a little biased.
Still, McCaffrey isn't the only playmaker Brock Purdy will have at his disposal. While Brandon Aiyuk is expected to miss the start of the season as he recovers from ACL and MCL injuries, the 49ers are confident in Jauan Jennings and 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall stepping up in his absence.
"We have a lot of weapons on offense," Kittle added. "We even have a weapon at left tackle in Trent Williams, who's still pretty damn good. So the goal for all of us is to make it as easy as we can on Brock. Then, when the moment comes, he can be at his best, and we can make plays for him."