Kittle Continues to Seek Guidance from Ex-49ers Coach Embree
George Kittle maintains a close bond with Jon Embree, his former coach, who still offers valuable advice to the All-Pro tight end.
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San Francisco: So, George Kittle is still getting tips from Jon Embree, his old tight ends coach from the 49ers. They’ve kept in touch since Kittle was drafted back in 2017. It’s pretty cool how they’ve turned that coach-player relationship into a friendship.
Kittle shared that he often gets texts from Embree, even at odd hours. Like, he’ll wake up to a message saying, “Your footwork was trash last week.” Kittle really values that kind of feedback. It’s not something you see every day in the NFL, where teams usually keep their strategies close to the vest.
Coach Kyle Shanahan thinks it’s great, too. He joked about it being tampering if Embree were on a rival team, but he loves that Embree is helping Kittle improve. It’s all about making the players better, right?
Kittle wasn’t always the superstar he is now. Back in college, he had decent stats but nothing like what he’s doing now. Embree played a big role in shaping his game. Kittle said Embree really helped him find his footing in the league, teaching him things that he still uses today.
By the end of his rookie season, Kittle was already making waves, especially with Jimmy Garoppolo throwing him the ball. He had his first 100-yard game in Week 16, which was a big deal for him.
Fast forward to December 8, 2024, and Kittle hit another milestone with his 19th 100-yard game. He caught all six of his targets for 151 yards against the Bears. He’s now third in franchise history for those games, right behind legends like Terrell Owens and Jerry Rice.
It’s clear that Kittle has a lot of respect for Embree, calling him like a dad figure in the NFL. They chat regularly, and it’s nice to see that kind of bond in such a competitive sport.