George Kittle makes quick impact by reaching out to new 49ers teammate Mason Pline of Furman
If former Furman football tight end Mason Pline manages to eventually earn a spot on the roster of the San Francisco 49ers, he’ll likely do so thanks to a big assist from George Kittle, the 49ers’ standout tight end.
Kittle, an accomplished veteran preparing for his eighth NFL season, already has reached out to Pline, who signed a free agent deal with the 49ers after going undrafted last week.
“He welcomed me and said he was just making sure I didn’t need anything and if I had any questions to let him know,” Pline said. “I appreciate it. I’ve studied him for a lot of years.”
That may prove a good time investment for Pline.
Kittle, who ranks second in the NFL in receiving yards among tight ends since entering the league in 2017, is a five-time Pro Bowler with three 1,000-yard receiving seasons to his credit. He holds franchise records for tight ends for most receptions in a season (88) and most receiving yards in a game (210).
Oh, and he’s quite the blocker as well.
“In my opinion he’s probably one of the best to ever do it and definitely the best run blocker from a tight end standpoint in the league,” Pline said. “And he’s done that for a lot of years.”
Pline’s immediate intent is to glean as much knowledge as possible from Kittle.
“He's got a wealth of knowledge at this point,” Pline said. “You can learn something every day, non-stop, from him.”
Pline’s quest will begin soon. He’ll fly to San Francisco on May 9 and remain there through mid-June, participating in rookie mini-camp and OTAs in an attempt to make the roster of a team that’s the reigning NFC champion and seeking a fourth Super Bowl appearance since 2013.
Pline began his college career as a basketball player at Ferris (Michigan) State and played three seasons before transitioning to football, helping the team win two Division II national championships and eventually catching the eye of Furman assistant coach Nick Verna, who serves as tight ends coach and NFL liaison for the program.
Pline came to Furman as a graduate transfer and caught the attention of NFL scouts with his sheer size (6-foot-6, 255 pounds) and ball skills (32 receptions, 287 yards, four touchdowns).
“I’m excited to get out there and get to work,” Pline said. “They use the tight end in a lot of different ways. It’s a very tight end-friendly offense.
“I’m big-bodied yet athletic enough to be a downfield target in the receiving game and I’ll continue to improve my blocking. Being an all-around tight end will be a big thing.”
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Scott Keepfer covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at skeepfer@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ScottKeepfer
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: George Kittle reaches out to new 49ers teammate Mason Pline of Furman
