49ers TE George Kittle: ‘I want Jimmy G to be my QB’

49ers tight end George Kittle met with Good Morning Football’s Kyle Brandt and continued endorsement of embattled quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

One of the first San Francisco 49ers players to be shocked at the team’s blockbuster NFL Draft trade, which saw the Niners move up from No. 12 overall to the No. 3 overall pick, was All-Pro tight end George Kittle.

Kittle actually ended up having a brief exchange with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, certainly paralleling the “wow” factor much of the league had in the wake of San Francisco’s aggressive move-up in Round 1.

The 49ers’ move, of course, all but signifies they’ll grab a quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick. Particularly in the wake of trading away two additional first-round selections, one in 2022 and another in 2023, along with a 2022 third-round pick. While there are other non-quarterback players certainly worthy of the third overall pick, the Niners surely wouldn’t have done this for anything else but a signal-caller.

Ultimately meaning their current starter, Jimmy Garoppolo, is entering what’s likely his final year in San Francisco.

Kittle nevertheless remains committed to Jimmy G while understanding the necessity for teams to both remain competitive and get better where they can, and it’s something the tight end expressed to Good Morning Football host Kyle Brandt on Brandt’s 10 Questions with Kyle Brandt podcast on Spotify.

“We’re the San Francisco 49ers,” Kittle said. “We’re a very popular and famous franchise… People expect us to win football games. Being the QB of a top-notch franchise, the limelight is on you. It’s on him and coach [Kyle] Shanahan… Especially for Jimmy, everyone had high expectations for him when he was leaving the Patriots, and he has a lot of good ball ahead of him.”

Kittle has been one of Garoppolo’s most ardent supporters, regularly backing his quarterback after the 49ers’ 2019 Super Bowl run, which ultimately led to a lot of speculation the Niners should move on after Jimmy G’s fourth-quarter meltdown against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV.

In addition to Kittle’s support, the two also enjoyed a sort of “bromance” with each other, often donning tee shirts featuring the other.

Yet Kittle also won’t hesitate to continue backing Garoppolo despite the criticism the latter has faced ever since, particularly now in the wake of San Francisco’s trade for Round 1 of the draft.

“I trust Kyle and [general manager] John [Lynch],” Kittle added. “They’re trying to do whatever they can to make the team better… I get it, it’s a competitive sport, we’re competing for jobs every single day. I want Jimmy G to be my QB… Whatever they do, I can’t wait to see what the team looks like in a couple weeks.”

If anything, Kittle is ensuring he says the right things, which is important for a team captain to do. Right now, and as regularly supported by Lynch and Shanahan, Garoppolo is still pegged as the 49ers’ starting quarterback for 2021. Drafting a rookie quarterback, while adding to the competition and altering the long-term landscape, won’t change that.

Be sure to check out the full interview here.

Transcription information courtesy of MWWPR.