Tag: George Kittle

Chiefs DB Justin Reid discusses the challenge of stopping George Kittle: ‘A fun guy to go against’

Kansas City #Chiefs defensive back Justin Reid discusses the challenge of stopping George Kittle: ‘A fun guy to go against’ | @EdEastonJr

Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid has never been shy about covering the best offensive players in the league. He prides himself on these matchups as he approaches this Sunday’s game against George Kittle and the San Francisco 49ers.

Reid shared his thoughts on facing Kittle again during Thursday’s press conference.

“Oh, Huge challenge. All around tight end. I mean, him (George Kittle) and (Travis) Kelce are like the two best in the business, but he does it all.” said Reid. “He runs vertical routes, runs pivot routes, Big Red Zone target. Very comfortable guy for Brock Purdy to throw to great hands and a willing blocker. Sure, everyone’s seen the tapes of him blocking guys. Loves to get down and dirty, but just a fun guy to go against and for me, those are the type of challenges that you want as a guy that covers tight ends, is to go against guys like that and see where you step up.”

Kittle has a reputation for trash-talking during games, and Reid embraces the back-and-forth moments as both sides play mind games to gain a competitive advantage.

“Yeah, I mean, it makes it a little more fun,” said Reid. “the more years you get into it. But it’s always very friendly at the end of it.”

The Chiefs’ secondary got the best of Kittle during the Super Bowl, so there will be extra motivation to head into Sunday’s showdown.

Raiders TE Brock Bowers Yards After Catch numbers already on pace for elite company

Rookie tight end Brock Bowers leads all tight ends in the NFL in Yards After Catch (YAC) and is on pace for All Pro level numbers.

It’s becoming clear just what makes Brock Bowers so special as a player. And it starts with his ability to get yards after the catch.

The rookie tight end’s ability to get every extra yard imaginable and a few yards you didn’t think were possible almost defies logic and reason.

Raiders offensive coordinator set about trying to explain just how Bowers does it.

“Some guys like…he’s a natural football player,” Luke Getsy said of Bowers’ YAC abilities. “What I mean by that is he understands spacing, he understands his awareness of what’s all going on around him. I think all that’s real. So, when he catches the ball and he knows he has space, there’s no wasted movement. There’s no figuring out, there’s no bubble around him. It’s catch, drop step, get vertical, and go. So, you’re seeing him catch check downs and you’re seeing him turn them into explosives. And so all that awareness of space and the people around you is something special that not everybody has. But he has it and that on top of understanding where he’s supposed to be conceptually and the toughness prt of it. That part is probably the most important.”

The rookie 13th overall pick leads all NFL tight ends over the first six weeks of the season with 206 yards after catch. That’s tenth in the league at any position. With 384 yards receiving, that means well over half his yards have come after the catch.

His numbers put him on pace for 584 yards after the catch on the season. The list of tight ends to have better numbers than that over the past five years is short.

2022 *Travis Kelce — 648
2019 *George Kittle — 602
2023 **David Njoku — 599
2020 *Travis Kelce — 587

*All Pro season
** Pro Bowl season

This is nothing new for Bowers. Twice in his three years at Georgia he led all FCS tight ends in Yards After Catch. But it’s one thing to do it on the collegiate level, it’s another to treat NFL defenders the same way.

George Kittle and Kyle Jusczcyk celebrating a TD with their wives was so wholesome

So wholesome!

What a way to celebrate a touchdown.

Kyle Jusczcyk and George Kittle decided to put together a delightful touchdown celebration after the San Francisco 49ers tight end scored on Thursday night against the Seattle Seahawks — the pair had their wives sitting together in the stands, so they ran over, jumped in and gave them hugs.

Awww. And later, when Jusczcyk scored, he went over to Kristin for a second time, with the entire team joining him.

That’s just too stinking sweet. Here’s both of those moment from the Niners’ win over the Seahawks that had everyone delivering the heart emojis on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/oursf49ers/reel/DA-I5Y5xsnh/

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1844573445042102678

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Wives celebrate touchdowns as Niners down Seahawks

Wives got in on the 49ers’ TD celebrations

There was a different touchdown celebration in Seattle on Thursday. After George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk each scored touchdowns in the fourth quarter, they headed to the stands where their respective wives were seated,

Firs, it was Kittle on the receiving end of a Brock Purdy pass.

Juszcyzk had to remind the tight end his wife, Kristin, and Claire Kittle were in the end zone seats.

The game-clinching score came by the fullback in the 36-24 win.

49ers injury report: Starting CB questionable vs. Seahawks

Here’s the 49ers’ Week 6 injury report:

The San Francisco 49ers have a crowded injury report for their Week 6 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football.

A truncated week of preparation exacerbates any potential injury issues since there’s less time for a player to recover during the week. That may be why veteran cornerback Charvarius Ward is listed as questionable with a knee injury.

Ward suffered a knee bruise during the team’s Week 5 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He was projected as a non-participant in Monday’s practice, then was limited in two walkthroughs Tuesday and Wednesday.

If Ward can’t go, we’ll likely see Isaac Yiadom start at the outside cornerback spot with rookie Renardo Green lining up in the slot as the nickel corner.

Perhaps the most important part of the 49ers injury report is who isn’t listed. Tight end George Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner and safety Ji’Ayir Brown all participated in full Wednesday and are good to suit up Thursday night.

Here’s the 49ers’ full Week 6 injury report:

Out

DT Jordan Elliott (knee)
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (calf)
S Talanoa Hufanga (wrist)
K Jake Moody (right ankle)

Flannigan-Fowles, Moody and Hufanga were all expected to miss the game. Elliott has been dealing with a knee injury for a couple weeks now. His absence may be due to the short week.

Questionable

WR Chris Conley (oblique)
CB Charvarius Ward (knee)

Conley was on the same practice schedule as Ward after missing Week 5 with his oblique injury. He didn’t participate Monday, then was limited Tuesday and Wednesday.

49ers practice report: Key starter returns ahead of game vs. Seahawks

Here’s the 49ers’ practice report from Tuesday:

The San Francisco 49ers were back on the field for practice Tuesday after an off day Monday.

Given the short week with a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Seahawks looming, the 49ers only held a walk-through session Tuesday. Head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated Monday the club wouldn’t have any full practices on the truncated week.

Their return for a walk-through featured a little good news on the practice participation report. Cornerback Charvarius Ward was projected as an absence on the report from Monday. He’s dealing with a knee bruise he suffered in Week 5, per Shanahan. Ward was back as a limited participant for Tuesday’s session.

Here’s what the Tuesday participation report looked like in the 49ers’ final practice day of Week 6:

Did not participate

DT Jordan Elliott (knee)
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (calf)
S Talanoa Hufanga (wrist)
K Jake Moody (right ankle)

The only real question mark here is Elliott, who has been managing a knee injury and played in Week 5. It’s unclear whether he was absent just to get as much rest as possible, or if he’s in danger of not suiting up on the short week. Hufanga has torn wrist ligaments and will miss significant time. Moody is also expected to miss significant time with a high ankle sprain. The 49ers signed his replacement Tuesday.

Limited participation

S Ji’Ayir Brown (ankle)
WR Chris Conley (oblique)
TE George Kittle (ribs)
CB Charvarius Ward (knee)
LB Fred Warner (ankle)

No setbacks in this group after Brown, Kittle and Warner were all projected as limited Monday. Conley and Ward both returned after projected absences to begin the week.

Full participation

WR Jacob Cowing (shoulder)

Good news for the rookie. He figures to be back as the 49ers’ punt returner Thursday night.

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2 starting DBs projected to miss 49ers 1st practice on short week

The 49ers didn’t practice on Monday, but here’s a projected participation report:

The San Francisco 49ers are in desperate need of some time off to stabilize their injury woes. Instead of time off, they’re getting another division game on a short week against the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night.

Their truncated week of practice began Monday with some not-so-good signs on the injury front.

San Francisco didn’t practice, but six players were projected absences on the practice report, including starting strong safety Talanoa Hufanga and starting cornerback Charvarius Ward.

It’s not a huge surprise to see Hufanga out since he exited Week 5 in the first half with a wrist injury and didn’t return. Ward is a bit of a surprise since he was among head coach Kyle Shanahan’s injury updates neither Sunday nor Monday. He’s apparently dealing with a knee injury, though the severity is unknown. A missed practice to start the week doesn’t bode well for his chances to suit up Thursday though.

Here’s the 49ers projected practice report from Monday:

Did not participate

WR Chris Conley (oblique)
DT Jordan Elliott (knee)
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (calf)
S Talanoa Hufanga (wrist)
K Jake Moody (right ankle)
CB Charvarius Ward (knee)

Elliott appears to be managing a knee injury given his practice schedule the last few weeks. Shanahan said in a conference call Monday that Flannigan-Fowles was unlikely to go. Moody has a high-ankle sprain and isn’t liable to return any time soon. The team may wind up putting him on IR depending on the severity of his sprain. Shanahan also classified Conley as ‘day-to-day,’ but a projected absence Monday isn’t a great sign.

Limited participation

S Ji’Ayir Brown (ankle)
TE George Kittle (ribs)
LB Fred Warner (ankle)

While full participations would’ve been ideal, it makes sense the 49ers projected this trio as limited since it’s the start of the week. Brown is an interesting addition. He appeared to get banged up at some point during Week 5, but Shanahan never mentioned him among the 49ers’ injuries.

Full participation

WR Jacob Cowing (shoulder)

This is a good sign. Cowing should be back fielding punts for the 49ers on Thursday.

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49ers injury update: George Kittle, Fred Warner active for Week 5

Kittle and Warner are good to go.

The San Francisco 49ers got good news on a couple of key injuries ahead of their Week 5 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals.

Linebacker Fred Warner and tight end George Kittle are both officially active after being listed as questionable on the injury report Friday.

Kittle suffered an injury to his ribs in the 49ers’ Week 4 victory over the Patriots. Warner hurt his ankle in the same game.

Here’s who won’t suit up for San Francisco:

QB Joshua Dobbs (QB3)
OL Ben Bartch
WR Jacob Cowing (shoulder)
WR Chris Conley (oblique)
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (calf)
CB Darrell Luter Jr.

Not listed is cornerback Isaac Yiadom who was officially questionable with a quad injury.

Cowing was questionable after hurting his shoulder in Week 4. It’s likely we’ll see veteran punt returner Trent Taylor take on that role after being elevated from the practice squad.

Conley was listed as doubtful and Flanagan-Fowles was ruled out Friday, so it’s not a surprise to see either player among the inactives.

Defensive lineman Kalia Davis is also officially active after missing the first four games with a knee injury he suffered in Week 1 of the preseason. He’ll add some much-needed depth to the defensive front.

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Trey McBride, George Kittle injury update, availability in Week 5 Cardinals vs. 49ers

ESPN’s Adam Schefter gives an update about whether or not Trey McBride and George Kittle will play in Week 5.

The top tight ends for both the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers enter the Week 5 divisional showdown between the two teams questionable to play.

Both are expected to play, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

McBride returns to the lineup after missing the Cardinals’ 42-14 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 4. He was out with a concussion. He cleared concussion protocol at the end of the week and had no injury destination on the final injury report of the week, but was downgraded Saturday when an injury to his ribs came up.

In three games this season, McBride has 14 receptions for 122 yards.

Kittle was also questionable to play with a rib injury. He is also expected to suit up. He has missed one game this season. In three games played, he has 15 receptions for 162 yards and two touchdowns.

The Cardinals and 49ers kick off from Levi’s Stadium at 1:05 p.m. Arizona time.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

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49ers Week 5 injury report: George Kittle, Fred Warner questionable

Lots going on with the 49ers’ Week 5 injury report:

The San Francisco 49ers’ Week 5 injury report is crowded, as expected.

Linebacker Fred Warner and tight end George Kittle both returned to practice Friday and made enough progress from their injuries to be listed as questionable on the official injury report.

Here’s what the report looks like for Week 5:

Out

DL Yetur Gross-Matos (knee)
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (calf)

The 49ers’ already-thin defensive front will miss Gross-Matos. He’s a versatile player who can play on the interior or outside. Gross-Matos played a season-high 35 snaps against the Patriots. Flannigan-Fowles absence means the 49ers will have a different Sam linebacker. Dee Winters figures to be the next man up for that job.

Doubtful

WR Chris Conley (oblique)

Conley’s offensive workload has fluctuated a lot this year, but he’s been a regular special teams contributor. WR Ronnie Bell may be up to replace Conley.

Questionable

LB Fred Warner (ankle)
TE George Kittle (ribs)
WR Jacob Cowing (shoulder)
CB Isaac Yiadom (thigh)
DT Kalia Davis (knee)

Warner and Kittle are the big names here. If Cowing is out the 49ers will need someone to return punts, although he debuted on offense with four snaps against New England. Yiadom has been the starting nickel CB. It’s interesting that he’s questionable despite being listed as a non-participant in practice all week. His starting nickel job would likely go to rookie CB Renardo Green if Yiadom doesn’t suit up. Davis is still on IR, but the club could activate him for Sunday’s game after opening his 21-day practice window Sunday.

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