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His team’s season may have been over weeks ago, but George Kittle wasn’t quite done impressing.
Kittle caught five passes - leading all receivers - for 39 yards in Sunday’s Pro Bowl in Orlando. His NFC squad came up short in a 26-7 loss to the AFC, however. It was the third straight victory in the annual exhibition for the AFC squad.
The second-year pro earned a plethora of praise from the ESPN broadcasting crew, including color commentator Jason Witten.
Witten, who knows a thing or two about playing tight end in the NFL with 11 Pro Bowl selections, said, “He is a really good football player. He understands [head coach] Kyle Shanahan’s system. He runs underneath, the play action.”
"The future is bright for Mr. Kittle"
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 27, 2019
Listen in as the @ESPNNFL crew breaks down @gkittle46's #ProBowl season.
: ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/XCtLw5BSZu
Kittle’s popularity seems to be rising as well, and from all reports it sounds like he won quite a few fans over earlier in the week.
George Kittle was the very last player on the field signing autographs after the Pro Bowl Skills Challenge. Several fans (of other teams) walked away saying they’re “buying a Kittle jersey” after he spent the last of his available time to interact with them.
— Keiana Martin (@KeianaMartinTV) January 23, 2019
He’s a good dude.
Pro Bowl Kittle is the best Kittle pic.twitter.com/pfNG9fKbCO
— TheSFNiners (@TheSFNiners) January 27, 2019
We also saw a glimpse of what the future holds for Kittle after football — broadcasting. It’s difficult to argue after seeing this interview with Austin Hooper on “The George Show.”
Before you watch today's #ProBowl, please enjoy "The George Show" @gkittle46 x @AustinHooper18 pic.twitter.com/PeXPMTGVul
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 27, 2019
As if Kittle’s 1,377 receiving yards — the most ever by a tight end in a single season — weren’t impressive enough a stamp on his 2018, we also learned that he led the league in yards after catch with 900. Iowa fans can take some spiteful solace in the fact that Kittle’s 900 narrowly edged out Christian McCaffrey’s 897.
George Kittle will be making his first career Pro Bowl appearance after leading the NFL in yards after catch (900).#49ers| #ProBowl pic.twitter.com/I2AD9qhNa6
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) January 25, 2019
Casey Kreiter was on the opposite side of the field, assuming long-snapping duties for the victorious AFC. Kreiter executed 146 snaps without error for the Broncos this season, and was featured in the Denver Post during Pro Bowl week. Kreiter will be a free agent in March, but it sounds unlikely that he’ll be going anywhere.
“I love Denver,” Kreiter said. “I love being there. We’ll start (talking contract) here (soon), I hope. I want to be a part of the solution and I would love to play in Denver my whole career.”