Vernon Davis Explains Why George Kittle Is a 'Special' Tight End (Exclusive)
Vernon Davis is one of the best tight ends in San Francisco 49ers history. But when it comes to the No. 1 49ers tight end of all time, that could go to George Kittle when his career comes to an end. In an exclusive interview with PopCulture.com, Davis revealed what makes Kittle one of the best in the NFL.
"George Kittle's special because he can do it all," Davis exclusively told PopCulture. "He can block. You can put him out the wide receiver, you can put him in the slot. He can create separation. He can do a lot of things that a lot of tight ends can't do and that's what most teams are looking for. They're looking for that tight end. That's hard to find. A lot of tight ends can only catch passes. They can only create separation, but they can't block.
"So that is the biggest key factor there. Having the tight end that can really block because now you don't have to sub him out. If you watch Antonio Gates back in the day, you would see that when it comes to blocking, they'll take him out and bring in another tight end. But they're not doing that with George Kittle. He can do it all."
Kittle, who missed the team's season opener on Sunday due to a groin injury, has made a big impact in his five seasons in the NFL. He has been named a Pro Bowler three times and selected to the All-Pro Team twice. His best season was in 2018 when he caught 88 passes for 1,377 yards and five touchdowns. Last year, Kittle caught 71 passes for 910 yards and a career-high six touchdowns in 14 games.
Davis was a member of the 49ers from 2006 to 2015 before playing for the Denver Broncos and the Washington franchise now called the Commanders. While in San Francisco, Davis was selected to the Pro Bowl twice, led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 2009 and was named to the All-Pro Second Team in 2013. In his 10 seasons with the 49ers, Davis caught 441 passes for 5,640 yards and one touchdown. Both Davis and Kittle helped the 49ers reach the Super Bowl. Daivs was a member of the 2012 Super Bowl team, and Kittle was a member of the Super Bowl team in 2019.