Getty George Kittle catches and runs against the Texans on Sunday, January 2 in Santa Clara,
“The People’s tight end” helped send out the disclaimer on Thursday, January 6 to anyone who watches the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams contest this Sunday: It will not be a pillow fight.
Nor will there be anyone avoiding contact with one other like it’s curling or any other sport that lacks physicality. George Kittle already has an idea with how the latest installment of 49ers versus Rams will play out.
And he used a graphic description in front of the Bay Area media following 49ers‘ practice to help hype the Sunday, January 9 contest at SoFi Stadium.
ALL the latest 49ers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on 49ers newsletter here!
“I think it’s going to definitely show up this Sunday about who is the more physical team and it’s going to be kind of a body bag game in my opinion,” Kittle said via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.
To quote the 1991 Nintendo Midway video game Super High Impact: Somebody get a body bag.
Kittle Buried the Rams Last Game, Literally
Kittle and the 49ers definitely chose the gridiron version of violence the moment they woke up on Monday, November 15.
Kittle caught 5 passes for 50 yards and scored once in the 31-10 romp of the Rams at Levi’s Stadium. And the touchdown he caught came on the 49ers’ opening drive.
George Kittle is impossible to contain
Live lines:
Rams +3
49ers -3
But he didn’t just find the end zone. He was an additional force as a run blocker, including burying Von Miller to the Levi’s Stadium grass.
The 28-year-old once began his career losing his first three of four games against the 49ers’ longtime NFC West rival according to Pro Football Reference. But since 2019, the 49ers have won the last five meetings. Kittle has four 100-yard games in the eight contests he’s played versus the Rams. And in 2019, he once got as many as five Ram defenders trying to bring him down.
Kittle, though, isn’t the only physical force of nature on the 49ers who poses as someone trying to “body” guys.
Kittle Lauds Physical Nature of Pro Bowl Teammate
The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder isn’t the only one who goes into a bulldozer mode on the field. So does the one teammate who lines up out wide and in the backfield: Deebo Samuel.
The third-year wide receiver isn’t just your typical crisp route runner or someone who tries to speed outside of the tackles for the first down. Kittle isn’t shy about being a fan of his 6-foot, 215-pound teammate.
“I love Deebo and his mindset every single week,” Kittle said.
Then, he verbally illustrated the violent nature of his teammate.
“When he gets the ball in his hands, it’s just different. He has a different mindset. He’s trying to run people over. He’s trying to knock mouthpieces out. He’s trying to body guys,” Kittle said. “It’s a physical game and he’s out there embarrassing fools.”
Like Kittle, Samuel has had plenty of highlight moments against the Rams, all outlined below:
Oh, in this Heavy on 49ers story written by Evan Reier, Samuel has already called out Rams All-Pro Aaron Donald.
Meanwhile in L.A.
The Rams have two opportunities in front of them at home: Secure the NFC West title with a win and in the process, potentially eliminate the 49ers from appearing in the playoffs — as the 49ers control their own destiny.
There’s this added bonus on L.A.’s end as well: Finally snap their five-game slide against the ‘Niners.
The always verbose Jalen Ramsey told the L.A. media that while he and his team are fully aware of which team has owned the series, Ramsey and the Rams aren’t backing down.
“They don’t have mind control over us or anything like that,” Ramsey said via ESPN Rams reporter Lindsey Thiry. “We’re going out there confident on Sunday.”
Right now, words have been exchanged between star players on both sides. But again on Sunday, hits will be traded between both teams. Sunday’s game is expected to be anything but soft, as Kittle pointed out.