Pundits and players alike have taken notice of San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle. Whether through his record breaking numbers, staggering physicality or exuberant personality, Kittle has made himself a household name in the NFL realm.
Former New England Patriots star and current Fox Sports NFL analyst Rob Gronkowski is the latest to endorse San Francisco's tight end. The former tight end made his television debut as a studio analyst on "Thursday Night Football" and drew weighty parallels to his own Hall of Fame-worthy career.
"He reminds me of myself a little bit," Gronkowski said during Thursday's halftime show. "He had that breakout year last year, which was his second year in the league too, just like I did - had a breakout year my second year in the league. I met him this year and when I met him, he had that energy. He brought that energy to the table."
In Gronk's second season in New England, the tight end put up a record-setting 1,327 yards on 90 receptions and 17 touchdowns, en route to his first Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro season. Last year, Kittle broke Gronk's NFL single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end in his sophomore campaign with 1,377 yards on 88 catches to go along with five touchdowns.
Gronkowski went on to earn three Super Bowls titles, five Pro Bowls, four All-Pro honors while amassing 79 touchdowns and 7,861 career-yards in his nine seasons in New England – something Kittle strives to emulate in his young career.
"Whenever he gets the ball, he just wants to go all the way to the end zone. That's what I love about him," Gronkowski continued. "He's a special talent and he's a big asset for the San Francisco 49ers."
The 49ers are set to face off against the Los Angeles Rams in San Francisco's first divisional matchup of the season. During Kittle's last trip to Los Angeles in Week 17 of 2018, he topped off his historic campaign with a 149-yard performance. Over his last three contests, Kittle has posted 149, 98 and 100 yards, respectively. He'll be eyeing the opportunity to his sustain his trend against the Rams on Sunday.
