Commitment day was staring George Kittle right in the face, and he was pretty much set on heading to Weber State. Seriously, this guy, who now has an illustrious NFL career, was a two-star tight end recruit and wasn’t exactly drowning in scholarship offers. He had just one offer on the table, and that was it, as he told FOX Sports’ “Big Noon Kickoff” crew. He was ready to take it.
The Hawkeyes’ Eleventh-Hour Call
But then, out of nowhere, fate stepped in. Multiple Iowa recruits de-committed at the last second, Kittle explained, which totally opened the door for the Hawkeyes. And here’s where it gets wild: Iowa then offered a scholarship to someone who already knew the program inside and out. Kittle practically grew up hearing his dad, Bruce, talk about his glory days playing offensive line for the Hawkeyes from 1977-81. Get this: Bruce Kittle’s position coach as a senior in ’81 was a young Kirk Ferentz. Ferentz, after a quick stint as an NFL assistant, came back to Iowa as their head coach in 1999. Fast forward to 2012, and that relationship Bruce had with Ferentz was the key that helped George finally land at his dream school. When Ferentz and Iowa finally called with that scholarship offer, Kittle’s reply was classic: “Sounds like a great idea.”
From Perimeter Pass-Catcher to NFL Beast
After hitting campus, Kittle didn’t waste any time. He spent two years transforming from a perimeter-based pass-catcher into a rock-solid, 250-pound tight end. By his junior and senior years, he was heavily involved in Iowa’s offense, snagging 42 passes for 604 yards and 10 touchdowns. The dude was always a willing, dynamic blocker too, which clearly caught the eyes of NFL scouts. The San Francisco 49ers picked him up in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, and the rest, as they say, is history. What a steal!
Even with all his NFL success, Kittle has stayed super close to his Iowa roots. He’s still repping them hard, like in those bets against his current 49ers teammate and former Iowa State quarterback, Brock Purdy. And did you see him smash that pumpkin to predict an Iowa win over Wisconsin on Saturday? That’s dedication! He even met his wife, Claire, a former Hawkeyes basketball player, right there on campus. Together, they started the Kittle Foundation, which donates to Stead Family Children’s Hospital, right next to Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Kittle says, “We’re looking forward to any time we’re giving back to the children’s hospital.” You just love to see it. It’s wild to think that his Hall of Fame career and the huge impact he’s made might never have happened without that last-minute twist of fate and his dad’s long-standing connection with Kirk Ferentz. That 2012 connection, that’s what got a short-haired, stocky Kittle to his dream school, and then, well, the rest is pretty legendary.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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