Kittle never believed Brady-to-49ers rumors: 'Jimmy G is my quarterback'
Before Tom Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, reports had linked him to the San Francisco 49ers. For his part, George Kittle never believed the rumors.
The star tight end brushed off Brady's potential fit in San Francisco and defended quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo following a run to the Super Bowl last season.
"It is what it is," Kittle said on the "PFT PM" podcast on Friday. "People talk. There's nothing else to talk about. It's nothing that I took seriously. Jimmy G is my quarterback, and he's one hell of a quarterback. We don't get to the Super Bowl without him. So there's no one that I'd replace him with. What he's done for this team leadership-wise and on the field, he's one of a kind.
"There's no one else I'd rather be around to throw me the ball. You know, I'm just excited being able to play football again with Jimmy G and I know that he's ready to fling that rock again."
Kittle and Garoppolo were among the NFL's best offensive duos during the 2019 campaign. The quarterback targeted his top pass-catcher 107 times, connecting for 85 receptions, 1,053 yards, and five touchdowns en route to the Super Bowl appearance.
Garoppolo, a former teammate of Brady, was fully healthy for the first time with the Niners and enjoyed a career year leading Kyle Shanahan's offense. He's expected to remain the team's starter in the 2020 season.