Getty George Kittle during the 2023 Pro Bowl in Las Vegas.
September 10, 2023 already has this highly anticipated Pay-Per-View-like matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers: Perennial Pro Bowlers George Kittle and T.J. Watt lining up against one another.
The individual matchup comes with serious Wrestlemania or Octagon vibes ahead of the 2023 regular season. “The People’s Tight End,” though, has already sent a warning shot to the five-time Pro Bowler.
Kittle’s Early Warning to the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year
Speaking with Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take on Friday, June 23, Kittle not only spoke about “Tight End University” but also gave an early reaction to the upcoming battle with Watt to kick off the year.
Long story short, Kittle isn’t just excited about the battle, but believes it’s a matchup he’ll win.
“If it comes to blocking, I’ll toot my own horn. That’s just stuff I practice my entire offseason. I take all the reps in-season. Like I’m very prideful when it comes to that stuff. When it’s like second down and they’re like, ‘Hey, it’s pass-15 weak, you’re one-on-one versus a Cam Jordan. You’re one-on-one versus T.J. Watt, go for it.’ I’m not like, ‘Yeah, like hey, he gets paid millions of dollars to rush the passer.’ But I look at it as an opportunity for me to be like, (scoffs) ‘You’re not going to be able to get past me,’ and I’m very excited about that,” Kittle said.
“You’re not going to be able to get past me” — already the words that sets off this heavyweight tight end versus edge rusher battle.
Obviously, they won’t always clash with one another as the 49ers will likely draw matchups for Kittle against cornerbacks and safeties. Whereas, the Steelers will likely have Watt flipping between both edge spots, especially hovering over the future right tackle replacement for Mike McGlinchey.
Still, it’s already the most highly anticipated solo battle with Week 1 still less than three months away.
Who Won the Last Battle?
This won’t be the first time both the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the multiple Pro Bowler Kittle will face one another.
The last time the two met? The 2019 season saw Kittle experience the first Super Bowl of his career. That was also the season the 49ers got off to a hot 8-0 start before ultimately winning the NFC crown.
And one of the teams that landed in the loss column facing Kittle and the Niners? Watt’s Steelers.
Watt, however, delivered one of his more active and aggressive performances of that season: Delivering two hits of Jimmy Garoppolo, breaking up two of his throws, pouncing on one loose fumble, and snatching an interception — which became one of his two picks that season.
On Kittle’s end, he was held to six catches for only 57 yards and was kept out of the end zone. However, Watt and the Steelers fell to 0-3 that Week 3 day in Santa Clara as the Niners held on for the 24-20 win. A Garoppolo to Dante Pettis touchdown with 1:15 left in the fourth became the final touchdown of the afternoon.
Now, round two of Kittle/Watt will take place at Heinz Field in Steel City.