Kyle Shanahan Shares Early-Career Anecdote About 49ers TE George Kittle

A George Kittle anecdote from 2017.

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle before action against the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is known for his flamboyance and happy-go-lucky personality, making him someone everyone wants to be around thanks to his infectious persona.

It also helps that he has established himself as the best tight end in the league since joining. But neither his personality nor his game fully emerged until his sophomore year, as head coach Kyle Shanahan shared an anecdote from his rookie season in 2017.

Shanahan recalled how Kittle was far more reserved as a rookie, rarely opening up or showing the personality he’s now known for. He kept to himself, stuck closely to team expectations, and was hesitant to speak up, even when dealing with injuries. Over time, as his confidence grew, both his personality and on-field presence began to flourish.

"It was awesome. Kittle has always been him, but when he came into this league, he didn’t really show his personality like he started to in year two. That’s all I’ll say," Shanahan revealed on The Rich Eisen Show.

"Year one, he had no wristbands, no tattoos, a dorky haircut. He wasn’t Kittle yet. I remember him coming in around week four and he was hurt, but he was telling everyone he was healthy. I tried to have an honest conversation with him as a rookie.

Dec 15, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, right, hugs tight end George Kittle (85) during the late fourth quarter of a 21-13 victory against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

"I’m like, 'Dude, we know you’re hurt.' And I told him, 'You don’t have to talk to me like I’m 50 years older than you, or like how you talk to your Pop Warner coach, or however you’ve been trained to never tell your coach anything. Just tell me what’s wrong.'

"And he’s like, 'Coach, I’m fine. Don’t ask me anything else. I’m fine. There’s nothing wrong.' And I’m thinking, I can’t even talk to this guy.

"Then in the second year, he’s tatted up, he’s breaking records, he can come in on his own and tell me exactly what’s going on. He started to let his personality out. But that first year, you weren’t going to get much from him on the phone or at practice.

"I think once he got comfortable and realized he could be himself, we’ve gotten the real him every year since. And that’s been nine cool years."

Kittle recently revealed just how close he was to being drafted by the Seattle Seahawks or Dallas Cowboys, a move that would have been a disaster for San Francisco, considering he has since become one of the most beloved figures in the City by the Bay.