Whenever San Francisco 49ers All-Pro tight end George Kittle has a microphone, it is worth a listen. Currently in the middle of Tight End University in Nashville, Kittle joined The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday to chat about how the camp is going and his expectations for his fellow NFL tight ends.
Among the players whom he decided to shout out during his interview were Green Bay Packers star Tucker Kraft and Arizona Cardinals All-Pro Trey McBride. While players like Travis Kelce and Kittle are both established and on a Hall of Fame trajectory, Kraft and McBride are beginning to ascend.
George Kittle Is the Standard for the San Francisco 49ers
GettyTight end George Kittle caught 57 passes for the San Francisco 49ers in 2025.
Here is what Kittle had to say about his expectations for some of his fellow tight ends and which player could become the league’s next great tight end:
“Tucker (Kraft) was playing at tight end one until he got hurt, so I have high expectations of him to come right back and just take off again. (Trey McBride) was First-Team All-Pro last year. Very talented player, and he’s going to continue to play at a high level.”
I’m a huge fan of Harold Fannin Jr from the Cleveland Browns” ~ @gkittle46 #PMSLive
While Kraft and McBride are about to truly enter their primes, this is still Kittle’s league. This is especially true now that Kelce is close to retirement. Despite coming off a season-ending Achilles injury, Kittle could very well still be the league’s top tight end in 2026. The former Iowa Hawkeye has made seven Pro Bowls and earned five All-Pro nods. A four-time 1,000-yard pass-catcher, he has been a staple of the Niners since 2017. At 32 years of age, he is on the back end of his prime. Time will tell if he can finally help bring back another Super Bowl to the Bay Area.
Tucker Kraft, Trey McBride Look to Prove George Kittle Right
GettyTight end Tucker Kraft was a third-round draft choice of the Green Bay Packers in 2023.
Seeing as Kittle knows how to play the tight end position better than almost anyone, his opinion of the position is incredibly valued. This is why Kraft could be one of the best offensive players during 2026. On the comeback trail from a torn ACL, he was on pace for a career year in 2025 before he went down due to injury. A focal point of the offense in Green Bay during his young career, the former FCS champion will look to surpass his career-high of 707 receiving yards this season.
For Trey McBride, the two-time Pro-Bowler is entering his ascension. He became a First-Team All-Pro for the first time last season. Furthermore, he set the NFL record for receptions by a tight end in a single season in 2025 (126). He is the best player on the Arizona Cardinals and is likely to be the main focal point on their offense for years and years to come. It should be fun to see him and Kittle duel in the NFC West over the next few seasons.
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