Travis Kelce, George Kittle set for ‘some good football for tight ends’ in Super Bowl
In one corner stands the 6-foot-5, 260-pound Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs’ two-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler.
In the other corner stands the 6-foot-4, 240-pound George Kittle, the San Francisco 49ers’ first-team All-Pro tight end in 2019 and a two-time Pro Bowler.
While it was just two seasons ago when Super Bowl LII offered a Rob Gronkowski vs. Zach Ertz showing, it’s not common for the NFL’s biggest game to showcase elite tight ends on opposite sidelines.
Kelce and Kittle obviously won’t square off against each other, but fans of the tight end position should be tuned in for one of Super Bowl LIV’s marquee undercard battles.
“A couple years ago, it was Gronk and Ertz, so it was pretty special,” Kittle said. “I think me and Kelce are going to our best to one-up that game, but that was one hell of a game. This is going to be some good football for tight ends.”
Niners defensive end Nick Bosa agreed.
“The way George plays, he’s an all-around player,” Bosa said. “He’s fun to watch. If you pay attention to the run game and watch him block, it’s pretty impressive. And obviously, Kelce is one of the best receivers in the league. I’m excited.”
The two tight ends have made their mark on the NFL in recent years.
Kelce totaled 97 catches for 1,229 yards and five touchdowns the past regular season, which saw the seventh-year pro establish a few notable records. Kelce became the first NFL tight end to record four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and the fastest to record 500 career receptions.
In San Francisco, Kittle, a third-year pro, recorded 85 catches for 1,053 yards and five touchdowns, marking a second straight season he topped the 1,000 yard receiving mark en route to his first All-Pro selection.
“Kittle has had a phenomenal year for them,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Tuesday. “I think he’s a good kid. I watched how he and Kelce interacted last night (Super Bowl Opening Night). There’s a mutual respect there for each other’s game.
“I think I’ve heard Kittle say he kind of patterns his game after what Kelce has done, and then you know how I feel about Kelce. I think he’s the best in the business at what he does.”
Both players possess a high motor on the field, and they let their personalities shine on and off the field.
Ask Kelce what he thinks about Kittle, then step out of the way and allow the compliments to shine through.
“I think we’re both positive guys,” Kelce said. “We both love to play the game and at the same time we both love life. With that comes a lot of responsibility in the tight end room, to not just be a one-dimensional player but be a utility guy in the locker room or do whatever the team needs.
“That’s what we’re capable of doing. In terms of similarities, I do believe the run after catch is something, I’ve been able to have a knack since I have been in the league. Obviously, since Kittle has been in the league, he’s taken that to a whole other level.”
Kelce has a point, of course, and Kittle’s signature play in 2019 came late in the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Saints when he took a short pass on fourth-and-2 for a 39-yard gain with Saints clinging to a 46-45 lead.
The box score just shows the end results of the catch, but how Kittle accomplished it took social media and highlight shows by storm.
On the play, Kittle eluded a would be tackler after the catch before taking off down the left sideline. Saints safety Marcus Williams then attempted to tackle Kittle at the Saints’ 48, but Kittle gave Williams a punishing stiff arm before giving Williams and two other Saints defenders a ride to the 28. A facemask penalty on Williams moved the ball to the Saints’ 14, and kicker Robbie Gould would boot the game-winning kick three plays later.
Kittle’s calling card is his physicality, which was on full display in New Orleans, and Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo paid him a high compliment.
“We were really impressed with how good of a run blocker he is,” Spagnuolo said. “There are many games we can go in and say look with our D-ends, there’s no way we can lose a battle, a blocking battle, with a tight end.
“There are just teams that their tight ends are more of receivers. This guy, he’s as all around a tight end that we have seen this year. I give him tremendous credit for the emphasis he puts on run blocking. He looks like he enjoys doing it.”
Kittle attributes his love of blocking to his father, Bruce, a former college offensive lineman at Iowa. The Niners tight end said he grew up around blocking sleds, and by the time he arrived to Iowa to play football, he packed on additional weight as he concentrated on becoming a blocker in the school’s run-oriented offense.
“I was going to get better at it and be the best at it,” Kittle said. “That’s one of my favorite things about football.”
Another good thing about football, especially for fans tuning in and even the players on the field, surrounds watching some of the best athletes in the world go toe-to-toe for a league championship.
WIth Kelce and Kittle showcasing their skill set, this is one instance likely to not disappoint.
“You got two high-scoring offenses going at it and you got two All-Pro tight ends,” Niners defensive tackle DeForest Buckner said. “There’s a lot of talent on the field, there’s a lot of speed on the field in all aspects, so it’s going to be a really fun game to watch.”
This story was originally published January 28, 2020 at 4:57 PM.
