In just under a year, George Kittle has quietly rejuvenated himself and become one of the most fascinating tight-end prospects in the National Football League – a tremendous achievement for a fifth-round draft pick. The Wisconsin-born player of the San Francisco 49ers, who has already won the hearts of fans in the Golden State, would like to expand his collection in the coming years with shiny silver cutlery.
Who is George Kittle?
George Kittle was born in Madison, Wisconson, on October 9, 1993, the son of Jan Krieger and Bruce Kittle. He grew up on his family’s corn and soybean farm, where he first learned to play soccer with his father.
For some unknown reason, Kittle attended three different high schools. The first was Iowa City West High School in Iowa City, Iowa, and then Cedar Falls High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The third and last school he attended was Norman High School in Norman, Oklahoma, and then he attended the University of Iowa.
In his first year as part of the Hawkeyes soccer team, Kittle was used as an auxiliary player, played only 3 games, and recorded 5 receptions over 108 yards. In his second year, despite playing 3 games, he recorded only 1 25 yard reception. In his junior year, his fate changed when he managed to play 10 games and make 20 receptions over 290 yards and 6 touchdowns. In his last senior year, George Kittle made 22 receptions for 314 yards and 4 touchdowns in 9 games.
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6 Things to Know About George Kittle
NFL Career
George Kittle had to wait two long days until he was sure to become an NFL player, as he was selected in the fifth round as the 146th overall candidate of the San Francisco 49ers. After the training camp, Kittle was selected as the Starting Tight End for his team. He then played 15 games, started 7, and recorded a total of 43 receptions over 515 yards and 2 touchdowns in his rookie season.
His Father is a Coach
George Kittle’s father, Bruce, is a former college soccer player who later made a career as a college soccer coach. Bruce played as an offensive tackle for the same school his son eventually attended, the University of Iowa. After graduating, he took a job as an assistant coach on the soccer team where he worked under the legendary soccer coach Hayden Fry. After a while, however, Kittle left the job to study law, whereupon he became a pastor.
After staying away from sports for more than a few years, Bruce returned to coach his son’s high school soccer team before being named recruiting coordinator for the University of Oklahoma Sooners soccer team in 2010.
He is Engaged
George Kittle is engaged to his long-time friend Claire Till, who graduated in human physiology from the University of Iowa in 2016. Like her future husband, Till was a college athlete. She played as a striker for the school’s women’s basketball team, while her husband was a star on the soccer team.
George Kittle Salary and Contract
After his selection in the 2017 NFL draft, George Kittle put a four-year $2.69 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers on paper, which included a signing bonus of $298,287. This means that Kittle earns an average annual salary of $674,572.
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Injury History
George Kittle’s injury fights began long before he even became an NFL player. His first injury occurred on October 15, 2016, when he sprained his right foot in the pedal area during a college football game against Purdue University. He subsequently missed two full games before becoming a restricted player for his team for the rest of the season.
As a full-time player in the NFL, Kittle suffered his first significant injury on August 1, 2017. It was a femoral sprain that caused him to miss about a week of training camps, but he still fully recovered to participate in the season opener. His second injury was an ankle sprain that he sustained on November 5, 2017, in a game against Arizona Cardinals. As a result, he missed only one game before he was able to play for his team again.
His third most significant injury occurred at the start of the 2018 preseason on August 9, 2018, when he separated his right shoulder. The injury is not considered serious and Kittle is expected to make a full recovery very soon.
George Kittle Body Measurements
Since the players in tight end positions are usually the heaviest players on the team, it is no surprise that George Kittle weighs about 112 kg (247 pounds), seven pounds more than the required minimum weight of an NFL player. He is also 6 feet 3 inches (1.93 m) tall. Kittle’s other body measurements are
Arm Length – 33 1⁄8 inches (0.84 m)
Hand Size – 9 1⁄4 inches (0.23 m).
