Getty George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers runs the ball during pregame against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on October 03, 2021 in Santa Clara, California.
A fact of life is that nothing lasts forever. San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle knows this well, as he says goodbye to someone he grew close to.
The 49ers have already seen a lot of changes since the team’s season ended in the 20-17 NFC Championship loss to the Rams on January 30. Most notably, former offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is trading Santa Clara, California for south Florida as he becomes the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
Joining McDaniel in his trip across the country is tight ends coach Jon Embree. Embree was reported to be leaving the Niners’ staff before McDaniel, but it turns out that the coach is joining the Dolphins staff. Great news for Miami, but a sad departure for Kittle.
Embree has been the 49ers’ tight end coach for the entirety of Kittle’s NFL career, and it’s clear the tight end will miss Embree based on his recent Instagram post.
“Embo!!! Thank you! The last 5 years have gone by too fast,” Kittle wrote. “Being able to start my NFL career with you was the best possible thing for me. You showed me the standard at which you had to play to have a chance to succeed in this league. Always reminding me to have fun and to give great effort. You convinced me to never run out of bounds and to set the tone on each play, with or without the football. You also leveled up my taste in tequila. I am happy that more guys get the chance to be coached by you. Continue to raise the bar!”
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Embree’s Work with Kittle
When the 49ers drafted Kittle in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL draft, there wasn’t much reason to think he’d turn into a three-time Pro Bowler. Sure, the tight end impressed with 600 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns over his final two years as an Iowa Hawkeye, but Kittle wasn’t drafted until the third day for a reason.
However, Kittle had established that he could block with the best of them and catch the ball. The potential for upside was there, but the 49ers needed to develop him. That’s where Embree made his mark.
After a solid rookie year, Kittle’s development under Embree translated to a breakout year in 2018, with the tight end bringing down 88 receptions for 1377 yards and five touchdowns per PFR.
Since, Kittle has barely slowed down, with the only hiccup coming due to injury in 2020. Three Pro Bowl selections and a first-team All-Pro honor later, and Kittle is as an important piece as any for the Niners offense.
Kittle Speaks on Jimmy Garoppolo
Another key member of the 49ers that appears to be departing Santa Clara is quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The 29-year-old already dropped a “goodbye” to Niners fans in his wrap-up press conference on February 1.
Kittle has been a staunch defender of the quarterback through his time as a 49er, including through his play this season. The Niners may have fallen short, but Kittle doesn’t believe you can put the blame squarely on Garoppolo.
“Jimmy G, you can’t say enough about that guy,” Kittle said after the Divisional Round win on January 22. “The s*** that he takes, excuse my language, consistently, people just try to pull him down, and all he does is try to deliver. He leads this team, he has a sense of calm in the huddle, he has a sense of calm in the storm, and he allows us to play football at a high level.”
There will always be contrasting opinions on Garoppolo, but Kittle has never wavered in his support of the QB.