Family bonds run deep in the Kittle household. After 41 years of marriage, Bruce Kittle and Jan Krieger are celebrating another milestone while their son George continues to dominate on the football field. The San Francisco 49ers tight end’s success story starts with the athletic foundation his parents built decades ago.
How Does George Kittle Honor His Parents’ Anniversary?
It’s no secret that family means everything to the former Iowa Hawkeye. Before taking the field, you can see Kittle rush over to his wife Claire and his parents, who all hype up the tight end ahead of kickoff.
Kittle family time before SNF on #NationalTightEndsDay ❤️ pic.twitter.com/0JWtZ6udjv
— NFL (@NFL) October 28, 2024
Their bond goes even deeper than game-day support. Kittle reads letters from his father ahead of every match. Whether they are heartwarming, motivating, or everything in between, the tight end holds these moments close to his heart.
This visible connection is something Kittle never hesitates to share with fans. On July 8, Bruce and Jan celebrated their 41st anniversary, which the NFL star was quick to repost and comment on.
Kittle added his mother’s post to his Instagram story, captioning it, “41 Years!!! Happy anniversary!”
What Athletic Genes Did Bruce and Jan Pass Down to George?
Some may wonder where Kittle got his gift for blocking. Look no further than his father Bruce, who was a skilled offensive lineman at Iowa University. After his playing days ended, Bruce served as an assistant coach at both the University of Oklahoma and Iowa.
Jan herself was a phenomenal athlete. While she attended Drake University, her softball and basketball skills further ensured that their son would become an elite athlete.
The results speak for themselves. In his eight NFL seasons, Kittle has eclipsed 1,000 or more receiving yards four times. Each time the 31-year-old accomplished it in back-to-back seasons. The first set came in 2018 and 2019 where he nabbed 1,377 and 1,035 yard seasons respectively.
Now, in his first two seasons in his 30s, Kittle is at it again with 1,020 yards in 2023 and 1,106 in 2024.
Kittle was one of three tight ends to go for 1,000 or more yards in 2024, joining Brock Bowers and Trey McBride. Along with that production, he tallied eight touchdowns which was good for joint second alongside Jonnu Smith for NFL tight ends. Baltimore Ravens’ Mark Andrews led the league with 11.
With the departure of Deebo Samuel, Kittle could see even more targets in 2025. Quarterback Brock Purdy also comes off his rookie deal, signing an extension with the club to keep him around for five more seasons at a total value of $265 million.
While many were quick to criticize the deal, Kittle stood behind his quarterback.
“I don’t know what his winning percentage is, but when you win a lot of games and you only need two years to go to the NFC championship or better, I think that’s decent,” Kittle said on “The Rich Eisen Show.”
With year nine approaching, Kittle will look to feed off his connections with his parents, his wife, and his teammates to help San Francisco get back to the NFL playoffs.
