C.J. Beathard on George Kittle: ‘He’s one of the most athletic dudes I’ve been around’
If there is anyone who knows San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle like the back of his hand, it’s Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback C.J. Beathard. Between their tenures at Iowa and with the San Francisco 49ers, the two were together for nine years, and on Sunday, they will be opponents.
For the Jags’ defense, that could prove to be a big-time issue as many have regarded Kittle as a top-2 tight end in the NFL, and after returning from a calf injury that put him on injured reserve, Kittle has made his presence once again known. Since returning Week 9, he’s accumulated 11 catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns in the past two weeks, and if the Jags aren’t at their best Sunday, it could be another 100-yard game for Kittle this Sunday.
While Beathard won’t be on defense, he knows what his teammates on defense will be up against more than anyone on the team and praised his former go-to guy for his ability to impact the game in many ways.
“He’s one of the most athletic dudes I’ve been around,” Beathard said to First Coast News. “He’s really a running back, tight end, and receiver all in one. I think he could probably play any position on the field if he really wanted to aside from quarterback. He has a horrible arm, but he’s just real athletic and that was one of the things.
They use him as a slot guy, tight end, and he can block his butt off, too. He’s just really turned into the best tight end in the league.”
It’s unknown who will mostly be tasked with covering Kittle Sunday, but a top candidate could be nickelback, Rudy Ford. The veteran has come on strong since replacing Tre Herndon in the slot and has made the secondary look significantly better.
The last time Kittle faced the Jags he was only able to snag three passes for 42 yards but did find the end zone once. He’s surpassed that yardage total four times the season, so it looks like the Jags may not be able to achieve that same feat. However, if they can keep him out of the end zone and can hold Kittle around 90 yards or less, it feels like that would be a successful day for the defense.
