George Kittle HOF Future?

[racepug]

Hopefully voters can see past the volume stats. In this papermetrics era that might not matter as much in some cases. Kittle's could be one of those cases. Having a SB ring would obviously help too.

If he gets to Ozzie Newsome career total levels (around two years if he hangs around mostly healthy) he'll be ok with the numbers I'd think. He's already at Winslow level in terms of yards. And yeah, Winslow was a revolutionary player, but was also hurt a lot, and had a short peak period.

Heard some chatter about it being "too late" for him due to lack of volume stats, which is a bit surprising. I think folks are really getting caught up in that rhetoric too much. Which is funny, because I don't think many people will be pounding the table for someone like Jimmy Graham to get in.

I think you're right. Sometimes you have to go by the "eye test" to determine if somebody appears to be "a cut above" other players in the league. To me, George Kittle passes that "eye test."

[Brian wolf]

The rumors surrounding Kelce and Taylor Swift can get wacky.
Both Kittle and Kelce can be part of alot of prop bets for this SB.

Nobody may read this, but I think next season after the Ravens dump Beckham, who never produced for what he was paid, the Ravens may have the first two pass catching tight ends to get over 1000 yrds on the same team in Andrews and Likely.*

Yes, you heard it here first ...

*Edited ... to my knowledge, unless I missed a team, Gronkowski and Hernandez came the closest in 2011 for NE, with Gronk having 1327 yrds and 17 TDs, with Hernandez having 910 yrds and 7 TDs ... an awesome big receiver tandem that year.

[Brian wolf]

A frustrating night after a great season. I feel for Kittle who was never a receiving factor in this SB, he so desperately wanted. Kelce on the other side, jumped on his head coach and had a memorable MVP- type game, while Kittle wasnt targeted enough.

I dont care who your HC or QB is, you cant just target a player like Kittle only THREE times in five quarters ... it doesnt make sense in a desperate game where the 49ers settled for too many FGs.

I felt, even forcing the ball to Kittle who caught their only 4th down catch, he would come down and help convert more than three third downs in twelve attempts.

I get it, he got nicked up around blocking and hustling for his team but Shanahan once again, gets outcoached in the SB.

[SeahawkFever]

I hate references to players as being "future H.o.F.ers" when they're still playing (unless it's super obvious - as with Tom Brady) but George Kittle is, to me, the best TE in the game right now. I rank him up there with the likes of Mark Bavaro and even Gronk - two of my favorite TEs from my lifetime. I think he's FAR superior to Travis Kelce because, in my view, George Kittle is by far the better blocker and as was the case with John Madden I am of the belief that "your TE should be able to catch as well as your best WR and block as well as your best OL." The only thing I would "downgrade" him for is for being relatively injury prone (although he seems to be doing okay in that regard this year). But having never played football I don't feel that I'm in a position to criticize anybody who plays football - especially at the N.F.L. level - for being "fragile."

That's the thing with tight ends: Those who are asked to block and do that well tend to get overlooked because there isn't a number attached to that aspect of their performance.

As for George Kittle, he has 6,274 yards, 37 receiving touchdowns, and has made five pro bowls and four all pro teams by the AP in addition to the great blocking you mentioned.

I could see him having a Hall of Fame case when his career ends.