Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
George Kittle is off to a historic start with the 49ers
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
The San Francisco 49ers have never had a tight end like
George Kittle.
In just his third season in the league, Kittle has established himself as the most complete player at his position and earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2019. In fact, he was so dominant this year that his grade of 95 was the highest score ever given to a tight end by Pro Football Focus.
At 79.4%, Kittle had the second-highest catch rate for any player with at least 50 targets. His 6.1 catches per game tied him for the most among tight ends and his 3.11 yards per route was the highest mark in the league according to PFF.
However, to truly appreciate Kittle, you have to understand that he's not just a game-changing receiver, but also a vital part of San Francisco's overall offensive attack as a blocker. For example, when Kittle was injured in Weeks 10 and 11, the Niners' rushing attack averaged just 2.6 yards per carry. That number's a far cry from the 4.8 yards per attempt it averaged when Kittle was in the lineup.
What might stick out the most about the former 5th-round pick though, is where he ranks historically in 49ers' history so early in his career.
Consider that Kittle's 2,945 receiving yards are the third most of any 49ers' player in the first three years of his career, trailing only Jerry Rice (3,515) and Dave Parks (3.021). He joins Rice, Terrell Owens & Anquan Boldin as the only four San Francisco pass catchers to post back-to-back 1,000 yard receiving seasons, and is just the fifth player to have multiple 1,000-yard receiving years in red and gold (Rice, Owens, Boldin, and John Taylor are the others).
Kittle also owns the top two receiving years in San Francisco history for any tight end in both yards and catches, and his 173 combined receptions from 2018-2019 are the most for a Niner in back-to-back seasons since Owens had 180 in 2002-2003.
Considering what he's already accomplished, the sky seems to be the limit for where Kittle can go from here. He'll no doubt be a priority for the 49ers to lock up long-term, as he continues to be a cornerstone piece of the team.
The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.
More San Francisco 49ers News
QB Brock Purdy part of another historic record for the 49ers
By Rohan Chakravarthi
Sep 24
The San Francisco 49ers comfortably improved to 3-0 on the season with a 30-12 Thursday Night Football win over the New York Giants, dominating on the ground once again, while quarterback Brock Purdy threw for a season-high 310 yards in the victory.
In the win, Purdy and the 49ers broke another unique record, becoming the first team in NFL history to both rush and pass for at least 140 yards in 8 consecutive regular season games, according to Opta Stats.
The @49ers are the first team in NFL history to both rush and pass for at least 140 yards in
49ers ecstatic about fast 3-0 start but know they can improve
There was a common theme from the San Francisco 49ers when reporters asked about the team's impressive 3-0 start to the season. The locker room is ecstatic about the fast start but also knows they aren't where they want to be just yet.
Last season, the 49ers lost four of their first seven games. The team was 1-2 after three games. So, remaining undefeated through Week 3 this season means a lot.
"That's the goal, and real happy to be 3-0 right now," head coach Kyle Shanahan said. "It's really cool to do it after a Thursday night game. There's not many times in the NFL where you get to enjoy a win more than just that night, so it's always cool when you win on Thursdays.
"I told the guys if they want to win and have a weekend off, we got to earn it, and
49ers-Giants: Brock Purdy overcomes inconsistent start to get the better of aggressive Giants blitz
Brock Purdy was admittedly off his game early on against the New York Giants Thursday night, but by the time the game was over he compiled some impressive numbers, especially considering what he was up against.
The 49ers quarterback was off target at times over the first two quarters of his team's 30-12 win over the Giants Thursday night, as he completed 14-of-25 passes in the first half with 157 yards and a touchdown. But Purdy finished the night having completed 25-of-37 passes for 310 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions, with a passer rating of 111.3. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Purdy was blitzed on 33 of his 39 dropbacks, which is the highest blitz rate in any game
Kyle Shanahan: 49ers still have "got to improve" despite 3-0 start
By Rohan Chakravarthi
Sep 23
The San Francisco 49ers improved to 3-0 on the season after a 30-12 victory over the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football—dominating from the jump and never letting up a two-possession lead after a 17-6 advantage going into halftime.
However, that dominating performance doesn't mean that the 49ers played at their peak, at least according to Kyle Shanahan, who was pleased with his team's play on a tough Thursday night, but still pointed out a couple of improvements to look at going forward.
"Yeah, definitely, [I still think we have some work to do]," Shanahan said. "We did real good, time of possession, I think we had like 40 minutes. I thought our defense played real well. I thought they stepped it up. They started doing that in the second half last
