George Kittle isn’t exactly a public relations spokesperson for the San Francisco 49ers. Fans of the ‘Niners and the NFL already know what his real job entails.
However, the All-Pro tight end has given off statements during his rounds with the media on Friday, May 20 that addresses the big topics involving the 49ers.
As mentioned in this Heavy on 49ers story, Kittle tackled the topic of Trey Lance and his apparent “lack of arm fitness” noted by past Super Bowl winner Ryan Harris of CBS Sports HQ.
But on both the Pat McAfee and Rich Eisen show, Kittle tackled another hot topic in the Bay Area: The pending future of fellow Pro Bowler and All-Pro Deebo Samuel.
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Kittle Revealed Samuel’s Mood to McAfee
Kittle first spent his morning on the former NFL punter’s radio show on Sirius XM and revealed that he recently spoke to Samuel.
“I actually talked to him a few days ago,” Kittle said on The Pat McAfee Show.
And what kind of mood was Samuel in? Given all the news surrounding his contract talks and his usage in the 49er offense that’s left many wondering if he’s played his last game as a 49er?
“Yeah, he seemed like he was in a good mood,” Kittle said. “He was hanging out with his kid, who he just had. I didn’t ask about his contract, so we were just talking about other things, where he’s training at, and we ended up talking about sneakers for a little bit because we both are sneakerheads. So that was our entire conversation, but he seems like he’s in a good place.”
Kittle also addressed with McAfee how the 49ers’ locker room feels about Samuel.
“I think Deebo knows that this team loves him,” Kittle said. “We’d love to have him here. If he wants to play somewhere else, hey, it is what it is. It’s a business, so I wish him nothing but the best of luck if he goes somewhere else.”
“Deebo Samuel seems like he’s in a good place & he knows that this team loves him & we love having him here” ~@gkittle46
Kittle on the Eisen Show
Kittle then got on the phone with another prominent Sirius radio show host in the NFL Network’s Rich Eisen to clear the air about Samuel.
The “People’s Tight End” reiterated what he told McAfee to Eisen from being with his newborn baby to also not discussing Samuel’s contract.
However, Eisen asked what the narrative is on if Samuel truly doesn’t like living in California — which has also been attached to his offseason tensions.
“The tax rates are a little tough out here,” Kittle told Eisen. “I totally understand that vibe. I understand it.”
But then, Kittle dove into how he would feel if Samuel comes back or goes elsewhere.
“If Deebo wants to play for the Niners, he’ll play for the Niners,” Kittle said. “If he doesn’t, I wish him the best of luck wherever he does [play]. Deebo’s a hell of a football player. He’s a great human being. So it’s whatever he wants to do.
“He’s not angry at anybody here on the team,” Kittle continued. “We’re not distracted by anything that he’s doing. It’s his decision. We’d love to have him back. If he doesn’t want to, we’ll all support him wherever he wants to go.”
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49ers All-Pro Reveals Details of Last Chat With Deebo Samuel