San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle was only a naive rookie when he entered the team's camp in 2017. However, he had thick enough skin to pose a challenge to general manager John Lynch upon his arrival.
“The first day he came here, he said ‘Mr. Lynch,' he still calls me Mr. Lynch,” the 49ers GM told The Athletic's Tim Kawakami on “The TK Show.” ” ‘Mr. Lynch, someday we gotta go out there, I wanna do a one-on-one against you.' And I said no, those days are gone. Especially with the money we're paying him now, I'm not taking any chances, I'm not going out there.”
“I'd probably be the one getting hurt, but I'm not taking the chance there.”
John Lynch could've had a chance to hold his ground and compete with Kittle if it was some 20 years ago. Unbeknownst to young football fans, the 49ers general manager was also an accomplished NFL player on his own. He had stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos, and the New England Patriots as a strong safety. His 16-year career saw him earn nine Pro Bowl appearances, two first-team All-Pro selections, and a Super Bowl XXXVII ring.
George Kittle may not ever get the battle he wants with the 49ers GM, but he can still look forward to containing opposing defensive lines in the upcoming season. The tight end's role will be more vital than ever after coming off a productive 2019 campaign. His solid contributions led him to earn a massive paycheck that allows San Francisco to secure his services for the next five years.
After a failed Super Bowl bid last season, Kittle and the rest of the 49ers are motivated to make it back again to football's grandest stage.
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