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.
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.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Jerry Rice reveals what the 49ers need at wide receiver to succeed
San Francisco 49ers legend Jerry Rice knows exactly what his former team needs at wide receiver to take the next step offensively. The Pro Football Hall of Famer recently sat down with Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area and made it clear: the 49ers must add a true deep... -
49ers' George Kittle shares encouraging Achilles recovery update
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is progressing in his recovery from a torn Achilles, offering an encouraging update this week. Kittle was seen riding an electric scooter during Pro Bowl practices and again during a Friday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. While... -
49ers' George Kittle on Super Bowl LX: 'I hope both teams lose'
As Super Bowl LX approaches at Levi's Stadium, emotions are mixed among San Francisco 49ers fans. While many NFL viewers are rooting for the Seattle Seahawks to prevent another New England Patriots dynasty from forming, a large portion of the 49ers fan base is pulling for the... -
49ers' Brock Purdy shares honest perspective on 2025 performance
The 2025 season didn't unfold the way San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had envisioned. Fresh off a massive contract extension, Purdy entered the year motivated to justify the organization's belief in him and build on his previous success. The season began on a...