George Kittle here on ESPN radio.

Good morning, George.

Good morning.

Thanks for having me on.

I would have gotten that question, right.

I definitely knew.

Is New York would all kidding aside, you honestly would have gotten that right.

No chance.

I mean, either.

No, e.

Look, it's your job to catch touchdowns.

It's my job to know these things, and I would not have gotten that one, right?

Okay, You make me feel a little better that I wouldn't have had it, either.

I hate to start with the bad news, but let's start with this because I here as we get to super weak, I have all these guys on the show on the TV show, and they're all talking about their experiences and the guys who never made it.

Or, even worse, the guys who got to the Super Bowl and lost talk about the excruciating experience of that.

So here we are now basically 52 weeks removed from you playing in the Super Bowl.

How would you describe the emotions you feel now?

A year removed, having gotten to the biggest game in the world and come up just short a year ago.

Um, let's see.

I'd say, you know, definitely disappoint you.

Then.

You know, when the game.

Because you work your whole life, you know, play football.

Be the best football player could be in play in Super Bowl, which is the highest stage.

And losing is never fun, but the same time optimistic Because, you know, I feel like I'm a part of a team that could get back that symbol on one end and, you know, really just happy that I got to play in and got to play on the highest stage, but definitely not satisfied at all with that, um, but just want to get back and be ableto playing that again and get the win this time.

E.

I think that's a great perspective toe have And I've always felt and look, I can't I can't speak to this with any personal experience, obviously, but I feel like to get their obviously.

Your dream in life is to win the championship.

But to get there in and of itself is a great accomplishment.

And I would hope that.

And look, I know you hope you're gonna go on and win five of these things, but that you can look back with pride one way or the other on what your team accomplished last year and making it to that game.

Oh, 100%.

I mean, I'm pretty sure we want I think we won 15 games last year, and I think that's pretty good for NFL season.

So e mean, it's the thing.

Like, I think we had such a fantastic season and obviously didn't cap off the way he wanted to cap off.

But I still enjoyed the time that I got to play with all those guys.

Like that was a hell of a run.

This and Joe Staley out after he retired.

And Garrett Celik, my tight end, who also retired.

Um, you know, obviously, like I said, we wish you would have one, but I mean, still a great season celebrating.

Uh, you know, I think one of the best defense is of all time last year as well.

Like they were.

They were pretty fantastic as well.

So overall, you know not, you know, not happy with the outcome, but definitely enjoyed the entire process.

Greeny and George Kittle from the 40 Niners with me here on the Goodyear hotline helping you discover the road ahead.

Goodyear more driven, and I will tell you up front Georgia's one who has loved the game.

You know, going back to the seventies, you play my favorite position.

You are the latest in a long line of these all time great players going back to John Mackey and Mike Ditka.

But then, you know, through Dave Casper and Kellen Winslow and all the rest of that that the pass catching tight end who also blocks, I think, is the is my favorite position in the National Football League.

Growing up, Who did you want to emulate?

Who were your favorite tight ends as you were growing up playing the game?

Um, let's see.

Growing up playing the game, I'd have to say, Um, so Shannon Sharpe was really fun to watch because you could do about anything.

Um, you know, I was in the Midwest guy, and I really I grew up watching Dallas Clark, you know, I had season tickets in Iowa.

I went to every single game, watches to final season when he played tight end when he won the Mackie.

Um, and so watching him, I just always wanted to be, you know, the blue collar guy that just works It works his tail off and then, you know, take advantage.

That takes advantage of the opportunity when he gets it.

And so, watching Dallas Clark was, you know, one of my favorite players of watching, you know?

Then, as I grew up a little bit watching Gronk was always really fun.

For me to watch is because of how dominant he was, especially that 2012 season.

Um, that was really fun for me and, uh, you know, Then in college, I watched Travis Kelsey dominate, too, and so just growing up.

And then now I'm being able to play with those guys.

It's kind of surreal feeling, um, and, you know, get compared to him to It's kind of crazy, but, uh, you know, just enjoying the process.

But I really enjoy all you know, good, tight and play well, let me ask you about Gronk because you know, that is a guy who I think you could make an argument is the greatest ever to do it.

That that you could defend that argument if you wanted to.

I don't wanna have it here, but but you could defend that argument as you watch him.

And again, he's still doing it.

He will be out there on Sunday playing in the Super Bowl.

But how would you describe what has made him such a great player over the years?

Let me just watching him.

I think his ability to do everything is what makes him great, you know?

And he makes the He makes the big plays all the time.

You know he did in New England.

He's doing in Tampa.

But really, um, you know, my favorite part about Gronk is when he has zero targets and zero catches, accept and then he dominates in the run game.

That's my favorite game.

I remember what the last time New England wanted.

They played the Chargers at home.

It was like a freezing game.

I think he had like, two catches, but he just physically dominated the D line all day and it was just so fun to watch that.

You know, when you have a Titan has a physical presence, it changes up everything you could do in the run game.

And in the past game because now they have the linebackers and safeties have to step up a little bit on the play action.

And you know, the influence that Grand Cats in the game, even when he's not catching the ball, is, uh is an incredible.

It's like the defense has to pay attention to a magazine, a place.

So I just love watching that aspect of Thank you for watching ESPN on YouTube for live streaming sports and premium content.

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