George Kittle just taught thousands of children a very, very bad word
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George Kittle carried on Cordarrelle Patterson’s tradition of dropping an audible F-bomb on the Nickelodeon telecast of an NFL playoff game.
Nobody drops an F-bomb on a Nickelodeon telecast quite like George Kittle, unless you are Cordarrelle Patterson.
There is nothing quite like being part of new traditions. Shane Beamer took one for the team to make the Duke’s Mayo Bowl easily the most elite non-New Year’s Six bowl in all of college football. Though Kittle and Patterson’s slips of the tongue were not as intentional as a sweet, delicious mayonnaise bath, don’t expect the San Francisco 49ers tight end to be slimed as this year’s NVP.
If the 49ers beat the Dallas Cowboys, it means Jimmy Garoppolo will win NVP, and then not play for them next year. As tradition, that is what happened to last year’s NVP in former Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.
George Kittle dropping an F-bomb on Nickelodeon pic.twitter.com/zEEWPvPqQ2 — Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 16, 2022
George Kittle expands thousands of children’s vocabularies in the worst way
When most of these kids watching this telecast are still learning how to spell, Kittle gave them a four-letter word no parent is ready to explain what it means. Oh, it certainly gets the point across, no matter if it is a noun, an adjective or a gerund. This is same word that forced a gross red bar of soap into poor Ralphie Parker’s mouth, right before he shot his eye out with a Red Ryder BB gun.
So while ViacomCBS tries to figure out how to keep full-grown, sweaty men from dropping F-bombs on their children’s channel’s simulcast, let’s just appreciate the tradition being alive for a second season. Ultimately, it may serve CBS going with, I don’t know, an AFC matchup in next Super Wild Card Weekend. Tony Romo is great and all, but these F-bombs require earmuffs!
Let’s be real. They need a new award after this game: The Patterson-Kittle MAF for the most audible F**K!
Nevius: In appreciation of George Kittle, the 49ers’ lovable goofball
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Nevius: In appreciation of George Kittle, the 49ers’ lovable goofball
Before the 49ers’ season ends — and I’m not saying that it will Sunday — we need to address an oversight.
I don’t think we are giving George Kittle enough appreciation.
Oh, he’s appreciated, you say. He’s routinely included in the top three tight ends in football. And when he signed a five-year, $75 million contract, it was the highest salary for the position in NFL history.
But the more you watch sports, the more you realize that every good team has some guys who set the tone. Steph Curry does it for the Warriors.
And I’d say Kittle, along with a few others like Fred Warner, is one of those guys for the 49ers.
We definitely know that when it comes to being a hype man, he’s all in. During games he exhibits the rambunctious enthusiasm of a six-year-old on a sugar high in a bouncy house.
Asked about Kittle’s oversized celebrations after big plays, Kyle Shanahan deadpanned that he’s kind of a menace.
“I run from Kittle after good things,” Shanahan said. “Because he will not change how he hits people, no matter what … he just gets too excited.”
Which is swell. Every team likes to have a cheerleader. On basketball teams it is often the guy at the end of the bench, waving a towel.
But Kittle is indisputably a huge part of the 49ers’ offense. He set the NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end in 2018 and is currently on the cusp of his third 1,000-yard receiving season in five years.
But the splash plays are the ones that made his rep.
Fans will recall a sit-up-and-take-notice catch in 2018 against the Raiders on Thursday Night Football, when he split two defenders and reached up with one hand to snag a pass out of the air for what turned out to be a 71-yard gain.
And then there was his reaction.
“I told him, ‘Dude, that catch was insane,’” DeForest Buckner said at the time. “And he was like, ‘Bro, my eyes were closed.’”
That’s our guy. Sent to the interview podium after last week’s epic game with the Rams, he was asked how stressful it was to fall badly behind in the first half.
“It wasn’t stressful at all,” he said without the hint of a smile. “Our game plan was to fall behind 17-0.”
And just to be clear, we are saying Kittle is a goofball. Proudly, determinedly goofy.
There are videos of him photo-bombing a Jimmy Garoppolo interview on national TV, waving and miming “Hi Mom” in the background. There’s a tape of him trotting onto the field toward the 49ers’ huddle and glancing over to the opposition’s defense and chirping cheerfully, “Hi guys.”
He promoted an NFL “Tight Ends Day” (which the league actually adopted) and insists on mentioning it repeatedly.
But you have to admit Kittle has a way of diffusing a difficult situation.
There’s a YouTube clip of Garoppolo throwing a bad interception. He was looking for Kittle, but the defender cut in front, grabbed the pass and was quickly brought down by Kittle.
The next shot is on the sideline. Garoppolo, looking very serious, has his helmet on and is firing warm-up throws to someone. Kittle is on the bench with his helmet off. He has a thought.
“Jim!” he yells. “Hey Jimmy!” (Garoppolo looks over) “Good news. I got a tackle on National Tight Ends Day.”
I’d like to hear a frank conversation with Garoppolo on how much Kittle has helped him navigate this very stressful season. And previous seasons.
We know they are tight. We’ve been through the T-shirt wars, where each of them wore a T-shirt with the other’s likeness. Kittle, naturally, went with a beefcake shot of a shirtless Garoppolo, which actually went viral for a bit.
There’s also clearly banter on the sideline that keeps everyone loose.
At one point a video shows Kittle talking to Garoppolo during a game. He says he needs 14 more receiving yards to get to 100, because of course it is “Tight End Day.”
Garoppolo seems unimpressed.
“We’ve got to give the people what they want, Jim,” Kittle says. “They’re not here to see you. They’re here to see us.”
And that’s not to mention when NFL Films caught Kittle and Joe Staley doing exaggerated Canadian accents on the sideline during a 2019 game with the Rams, despite the fact that the game was tied 7-7.
“I don’t know if it is gonna snow today, eh,” Kittle says, in full Fargo. “I brought my toboggan just in case.”
There have even been times when Kittle has softened an awkward moment for his coach.
During the most contentious period of the Trey Lance-vs.-Garoppolo debate, Shanahan was asked if he would guarantee Garoppolo would be on the roster. Shanahan gave a weirdly dark answer about how he couldn’t “guarantee anyone in the world will be alive on Sunday.”
Kittle was next up to the podium and he began with, “I’ll call you on Sunday, coach, to let you know I’m alive.”
Well they’re alive now. After some rocky moments, the 49ers are in the playoffs. There’s no telling what will happen, but we can say for sure that they wouldn’t be here without the Kittle effect, on and off the field.
Because, he says, “Football’s a lot easier when you’re having fun.”
Rage on, GK.
‘I love watching Dallas film’: George Kittle, 49ers impressed by Cowboys’ tape
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If the 49ers coaches and players could give a rotten tomatoes rating for their Dallas Cowboys film sessions, the percentage would probably have been pretty high.
Those from San Francisco who met with the media this week were very complimentary of their NFC Wild Card opponents, especially when it came to the type of plays the Cowboys put on tape.
“They have stars all over the field,” said 49ers tight end George Kittle. “I love watching Dallas film.”
Kittle wasn’t only talking about the defense he’ll be facing on Sunday at AT&T Stadium. He went through a laundry list worth of analysis, from calling Cowboys running back Tony Pollard “incredible,” to saying how excited he was to go up against rookie sensation Micah Parsons.
Parsons, in particular, was a topic of conversation this week. On Friday, Parsons became only the fourth rookie linebacker since 1970 to earn first-team All-Pro honors, doing so in a season that’s seen him make an impact at all three levels of the Cowboys defense.
49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel was asked what was so striking about Parsons when he turned on the film this week.
“Uhm, what doesn’t strike me?” McDaniel responded. “This is the first time I’ve got to study him. I’m alive, so I’ve heard about him. He’s been noisy this year and he’s been very impressive. I think it’s a great match, working with Dan Quinn, and they’re getting a ton out of him. He’s a multi-tool defender that can win on the line of scrimmage and track from the linebacker position. He gives people problems and I can see why I knew his name before I studied him and saw him play.”
On Sunday, McDaniel and the 49ers will get the chance to see Parsons in person for the first time, and the Cowboys for the first time this season.
Injury watch: From a health perspective, the Cowboys will be getting San Francisco’s best shot.
The 49ers’ final injury report included only four questionable players: nickel linebacker Marcel Harris (Achilles), safety Talanoa Hufanga (knee), linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) and punter Mitch Wishnowsky (concussion). Wishnowsky hasn’t cleared protocols after suffering a concussion in last week’s win over the Los Angeles Rams. That forced kicker Robbie Gould into emergency kicking duties and fullback Kyle Juszczyk into the important role of field goal holder. The 49ers did sign punter Ryan Winslow to the practice squad in case Wishnowsky doesn’t get out of concussion protocol.
49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams, the highest-graded player by Pro Football Focus ever this season and a first-team All-Pro honoree, is expected to play after missing last week’s game with an elbow injury.
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
49ers’ George Kittle on Trent Williams: ‘He’s the best football player I’ve ever played with’
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49ers’ George Kittle on Trent Williams: ‘He’s the best football player I’ve ever played with’
By David Bonilla Jan 13, 2022 at 3:32 PM •
🥇 Highest single-season PFF grade ever
🥇 98.5 run-blocking grade (1st in NFL) @TrentW71: PFF’s Best Overall Player this season pic.twitter.com/0LjTwb6CHs — PFF (@PFF) January 13, 2022
Williams was inactive for the regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Rams due to an elbow injury. However, he intends to play on Sunday when the 49ers open the playoffs on the road against the Dallas Cowboys.
That is big news for San Francisco’s offense and quarterback
“He’s the best football player I’ve ever played with, so it’s very helpful,” tight end
Kittle prides himself on his blocking ability. Williams, however, is on a whole other level, and the tight end knows it.
“You can ask him to block two guys, and he’ll do it with ease,” Kittle shared. “Trent a little bit hurt is still better than, I think, almost everybody in the NFL, regardless of the position. So having him back is a huge impact for us and will allow us to do a lot more things in the run and pass game.”
The 49ers and Cowboys are scheduled to kick off from AT&T Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Pro Football Focus awarded San Francisco 49ers Tackle Trent Williams its highest overall grade for the 2021 season. In fact, his 98.3 overall grade was the highest ever from the analytics site.Williams was inactive for the regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Rams due to an elbow injury. However, he intends to play on Sunday when the 49ers open the playoffs on the road against the Dallas Cowboys.That is big news for San Francisco’s offense and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo , who will be grateful to have the league’s best offensive lineman back in the lineup.“He’s the best football player I’ve ever played with, so it’s very helpful,” tight end George Kittle told reporters after Thursday’s practice. “Huge Trent Williams fan. I love playing with him. I love blocking with him. He makes my life a lot easier. He makes everyone’s life a lot easier.“Kittle prides himself on his blocking ability. Williams, however, is on a whole other level, and the tight end knows it.“You can ask him to block two guys, and he’ll do it with ease,” Kittle shared. “Trent a little bit hurt is still better than, I think, almost everybody in the NFL, regardless of the position. So having him back is a huge impact for us and will allow us to do a lot more things in the run and pass game.“The 49ers and Cowboys are scheduled to kick off from AT&T Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
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NFL DFS value for George Kittle, Dalton Schultz, and Rob Gronkowski for Wild Card Weekend
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As season-long fantasy football managers join in NFL Wild Card Weekend DFS leagues, new challenges emerge as they attempt to determine the correct lineup every week rather than the team they drafted several months ago. With four more games set to play, what are the NFL DFS values of George Kittle, Dalton Schultz, and Rob Gronkowski for Wild Card Weekend?
Rob Gronkowski will have a high-roster percentage in DFS
We are all well aware of the wide receiver situation down in Tampa. Chris Godwin is out for the season (ACL), and Antonio Brown is no longer with the team (being Antonio Brown). If the Buccaneers want to make it to Los Angeles for the Super Bowl, Gronkowski needs to have a vintage Gronk performance.
The last two games indicate Gronkowski’s importance to this offense and speak to his increased utilization. In Weeks 17 and 18, with Mike Evans hurt, Godwin out, and Brown playing only part of the Jets game, Gronkowski recorded 20 targets, tying his highest total for a two-game stretch at any point in the season (Weeks 14 and 15). He had 14 receptions and 252 yards to close out the year, averaging 18 yards per reception.
Will Gronk find the end zone?
The question is can Gronkowski find the end zone again? While he does have 6 touchdowns on the season, 4 of those came in the opening two weeks. He has not scored since his multi-touchdown game in Week 13 against the Falcons.
Gronkowski is the smash play in the Wild Card round of the playoffs in DFS. He is the player that no matter what my lineup build is, Gronk will find his way onto it. Even if that means running a tight end in my flex. That’s a far more viable strategy than being given credit this weekend. Not only do we have the best QB/TE pairing in NFL history, but he is a player who needs to be heavily utilized and in the best matchup of the weekend.
The Eagles have allowed more points to TEs than any other team in the NFL this season at 17.44 PPR per game and are No. 1 in TDs allowed (14). Gronk will have a high roster percentage when lineups lock on DraftKings, and I am perfectly fine with that as I join the masses.
Is George Kittle the forgotten man in DFS for the 49ers?
Normally, anytime Kittle is playing, we are falling over ourselves to start the People’s Tight End. Yet it seems like he is being almost forgotten about when we talk about the 49ers. All eyes have been on Jimmy Garoppolo (and his thumb), Deebo Samuel, and Brandon Aiyuk. Perhaps it is due to the sluggish end of the season Kittle went through.
In his final three games, Kittle recorded 8 receptions on 12 targets, finishing with less than 30 yards receiving for three consecutive weeks. This made us all forget about the blowup he had in Weeks 13 and 14 with 22 receptions, 332 yards, and 3 touchdowns on 27 targets.
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While no one is quite sure what happened, at least we have a reason in Week 18. Left tackle Trent Williams (elbow) was unable to play in their final game, and the 49ers needed Kittle’s blocking ability more than his pass-catching skills. The good news is Williams is back, and so should be Kittle’s enormous upside.
After the catch, there is no better tight end on Earth than Kittle. And while Dallas could use Micah Parsons to help cover him, I don’t know if that will be enough for a team ranked No. 21 on the season in points allowed to TEs (12.79). At $6,000, Kittle is a steal, and one of several tight ends who are viable DFS plays this weekend. Those wanting to build a lineup around San Francisco should have Kittle as an auto-pick.
Dalton Schultz is one of the best values of all DFS picks this weekend
At the tight end position, few players have been more consistent than Dalton Schultz this season. Playing in 17 games, Schultz hauled in 78 of his 104 targets for 808 yards and 8 touchdowns, finishing as the TE3 in PPR (12.3). What’s interesting is what Schultz has done when Michael Gallup has been absent.
From Weeks 2-9 — when Gallup was on IR — Schultz averaged 6.1 targets, 4.4 receptions, 54.1 yards, and recorded 3 touchdowns. Then, in Week 18, Schultz caught 3 passes for 21 yards with 2 touchdowns. It was his second multi-touchdown game of the season. Over his last four games, Schultz has 25 receptions on 30 targets for 224 yards and 4 touchdowns.
He is just $5,000 on DraftKings, the No. 5 priced TE in DFS. With all the focus on CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper, Schultz is who we need to be talking about as well. In a week where multiple tight ends make sense, he is one of my favorite values, alongside Dallas Goedert ($4,500) and Zach Ertz ($4,700).
The matchup is not great. The 49ers allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to the position all season (9.25). But if you look at their schedule, they didn’t face any great tight ends. The last time they played an upper-tier TE was Ertz back in Week 9. Depending on your thoughts on Tyler Higbee, you should be encouraged as they allowed him to go 6-of-8 receiving for 55 yards and 2 touchdowns in Week 18. I will have my fair share of exposure to Schultz in DFS this weekend.