George Kittle Biography 2026: Age, Height, Wife, NFL, Career, Net Worth & More
George Krieger Kittle—Madison, Wisconsin-born Iowa farm kid turned human-highlight machine—has re-defined the modern NFL tight end with a rare cocktail of 4.5-speed, WWE-level physicality and sideline-to-sideline tenacity.
A fifth-round after-thought in 2017, Kittle now anchors the San Francisco 49ers’ offense, owns the single-season TE receiving record and cashes a $19.1 million average salary that makes him the league’s highest-paid player at his position in 2026.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | George Krieger Kittle |
| Current Team | San Francisco 49ers |
| Position | Tight End |
| Jersey # | 85 |
| Birth Date | 9 October 1993 |
| Age (Jan 2026) | 32 years old |
| Birth Place | Madison, Wisconsin, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Known For | Single-season TE receiving yards record (1,377), 5× Pro Bowl, 4× All-Pro |
| Ethnicity | Caucasian |
| Zodiac Sign | Libra |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 247 lb (112 kg) |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| College | University of Iowa (2013–2016) |
| Drafted | 2017 / Round 5 / Pick 146 |
| Years Active | 2017–present |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Claire Till Kittle (m. 2019) |
| Children | 0 (2 dogs: Deenie & Tula) |
| Hobbies | Professional wrestling fandom, hunting, video games, cosplay (Dragon Ball Z) |
| Net Worth 2026 | ≈ $40 million (Spotrac cash tracking) |
Early Life & Education
- Small-Town Roots – Raised in Norman, Oklahoma and Cedar Falls, Iowa; father Bruce Kittle played OL at Iowa, later attorney & poet.
- High School – Cedar Falls HS: 1,000-yard WR, All-State honors, state shot-put medal.
- College – Walked-on at Iowa; red-shirt 2013; by 2016 posted 22 catches, 5 TDs and earned BA in Communication Studies.
Career Journey
2017 – Rookie Steal
- Drafted 146th overall; 43 rec, 515 yds, 2 TDs; PFF’s #2 rookie TE.
- First career TD vs. NY Giants on SNF.
2018 – Record Breaker
- 88 receptions, 1,377 receiving yards—new single-season tight-end record.
- Pro Bowl & 2nd-team All-Pro.
2019 – Super Bowl Run
- 85 rec, 1,053 yds, 5 TDs; bulldozing 39-yard catch-and-run vs. Saints in playoffs.
- Super Bowl LIV starter vs. Chiefs.
2020-2021 – Injury & Bounce-Back
- 2020: 8 games, 634 yds; high-ankle sprain shortened season.
- 2021: 71 rec, 910 yds, 6 TDs; 1st-team All-Pro.
2022 – Career-High Touchdowns
- 60 rec, 765 yds, 11 TDs (personal best); key blocker in NFC Championship.
2023 – Comeback 1,000-Yard Season
- 65 rec, 1,020 yds, 6 TDs; earned Pro Bowl & 1st-team All-Pro at age 30.
2024 – Consistency Continues
- 78 rec, 1,106 yds, 8 TDs; 2nd-team All-Pro.
2025 – Mega-Extension
- Signed 4-yr / $76.4 M extension through 2029; $35 M guaranteed, $19.1 M APY—richest TE deal ever.
- Limited to 5 games in 2025 by ankle sprain but cleared for playoffs; 21 rec, 184 yds, 3 TDs.
Career Stats (2026 Snapshot)
| Category | Career Total |
|---|---|
| Games Played | 113 |
| Receptions | 538 |
| Targets | 733 |
| Receiving Yards | 7,380 |
| Yards per Catch | 13.7 |
| Receiving TDs | 45 |
| Longest Catch | 85 yards |
| First Downs | 337 |
| Fumbles Lost | 2 |
| Rushing Yards | 71 (12 att) |
| All-Pro Selections | 4 (1st-team 2021, 2023; 2nd-team 2018, 2024) |
| Pro Bowl | 5× (2018-’19, ’21-’23) |
Personal Life
Marriage
- Wed college sweetheart Claire Till (now fitness influencer & podcast host) in April 2019; ceremony at Highland Ridge Vineyard, Iowa.
- Couple famous for joint Twitch streams & “Kittle’s Korner” YouTube vlogs.
Family
- Father Bruce Kittle – ex-Iowa OL, lawyer, published poet.
- Mother Jan Krieger – cardio-thoracic nurse.
- No children yet; two rescue dogs often featured on social media.
Hobbies & Interests
- Avid WWE fan—guest-hosted Friday Night SmackDown 2021; friends with wrestler becky lynch.
- Cosplay: wore full Goku Dragon Ball Z gear arriving at 2022 NFC Championship.
- Off-season hunting & fishing in Iowa and Montana.
Source: @ gkittle46
Where is George Kittle born?
Remembering his early life, George Kittle was born as George Krieger Kittle in Madison, Wisconsin and moved to Iowa at an early age. It is American by nationality and belongs to the white ethnic group. He is the son of a former college football coach, Bruce Kittle. Information about his mother and siblings has not yet been disclosed.
Regarding his education, he attended Iowa City West High School in Iowa City, Iowa, Cedar Falls High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and Norman High School in Norman, Oklahoma. He got engaged to the University of Iowa to play college football.
When did George Kittle start playing football?
Source: @ gkittle46
- Speaking of his career, George played in Iowa from 2013 to 2016 under head coach Kirk Ferentz. As a freshman, George had a limited role behind senior C. C. Fiedorowicz, senior Ray Ray and senior Jake Duzey. He had his first collegiate reception, which went for 47 yards, against the Missouri State Bears. Overall, he caught three passes for 108 yards.
- On September 26, 2015, against North Texas, he scored his first collegiate touchdown at a 43-yard reception of quarterback C. J. Beathard. Overall, George had 20 receptions for 290 yards and six touchdowns in the 2015 season. His six touchdowns received ranked sixth in the Big Ten Conference.
- In his last year in the 2016 season, Kittle led a closed-wing unit containing young Peter Pekar and freshman Noah Fant. (16) He had his best statistical game against the State of North Dakota with five receptions for 110 receiving yards.
- On May 4, 2017, the San Francisco 49ers signed Kittle with a four-year, $ 2.69 million contract that includes a $ 298,287 signing bonus.
- He made his NFL debut at the 49ers season opener against the Carolina Panthers and caught five passes for 27 yards in a 23-3 loss. He received his first NFL reception on a 13-yard pass from brian hoyer on the first trip and was attacked by Panthers deep Mike Adams.
- During the first four weeks of the 2019 NFL season, during which the 49ers played against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kittle earned the highest overall Pro Football Focus rating of any NFL player .
Is George Kittle married or not?
Reflecting on his personal life, George shares happy marriage trips with his beautiful wife, Claire Till. He walked down the aisle with his long-term girlfriend on April 9, 2019. This was after the couple decided to share an engagement ring in September 2018.
Source: @ gkittle46
How tall is George Kittle?
Looking at the statistics of his body, George is 6 feet 4 inches and weighs about 112 kg. He has a pair of light brown eyes and dark brown hair. Your other body information has not yet been disclosed.
Awards & Achievements
- NFL Single-Season TE Receiving Yards Record – 1,377 yds (2018)
- 5× Pro Bowl (2018-19, 2021-23)
- 4× All-Pro (2× 1st-team, 2× 2nd-team)
- NFL 2010s All-Decade Team (2nd-team)
- 49ers Len Eshmont Award (inspirational, 2020)
- Madden 99 Club member (Madden 21)
Physical Statistics
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 247 lb (112 kg) |
| Arm Length | 33 ⅛ in |
| Hand Size | 10 ½ in |
| 40-yard Dash | 4.52 s (Pro Day) |
| Vertical Jump | 35 in |
| Bench Press (225 lb) | 18 reps |
| Body Fat | ≈ 11 % |
Iconic Quotes
- “I’m just a big kid that gets to play football for a living.” – ESPN interview, 2019
- “Pancake blocks are sexy too—receivers get the glory, but I want to put dudes in the dirt.” – NFL Films mic’d up
- “Claire is my rock. Football’s temporary; love is forever.” – wedding day press statement, 2019
Controversies
- 2020 COVID-19 List – missed 1 game after exposure; called NFL protocols “frustrating but necessary.”
- 2023 Fine – $13,000 for wearing “F*** Dallas” t-shirt under jersey during warm-ups vs. Cowboys.
- Social-media Spat – exchanged barbs with Cardinals’ J.J. Watt over chop-block accusations; no suspension.
Favorites
| Category | Choice |
|---|---|
| Food | Chicken Alfredo, Iowa pork tenderloin |
| Video Game | Call of Duty, Fortnite |
| WWE Wrestler | The Undertaker |
| Music | Metallica, AC/DC |
| Cleat Brand | Nike Vapor Edge |
| Post-Touchdown Celebration | Warrior “Haka” dance |
Salary & Net Worth 2026
- Career Cash to Date – $82.6 million (2017-2025)
- Guaranteed at Signing 2025 – $35 million
- Potential Career Earnings 2029 – $155.7 million
- Average Annual Value – $19.1 M (highest among TEs)
- Endorsements – Nike, Bud Light, Xbox, Gatorade ≈ $3 M/yr
- Net Worth Estimate – ≈ $40 million (after tax & investments)
- Real-Estate – $7 M Napa vineyard estate, $2.2 M San Jose townhouse
Interesting Facts
- First tight end since 1990s to post multiple 1,000-yard seasons with <70 catches (2021, 2023).
- Owns “The Kittle’s Korner Podcast” with Claire; debut episode featured Kyle Juszczyk.
- Appeared in Netflix docu-series Receiver (2024) showcasing life after Quarterback.
- College roommate was future 49ers teammate QB C.J. Beathard.
- Collects retro Dragon Ball Z figurines—entire guest room dubbed “Hyperbolic Time Chamber.”
Social Media Links
- Instagram: @gkittle46 (1.9 M)
- Twitter/X: @gkittle46 (800 K)
- TikTok: @gkittle46 (1.1 M)
- YouTube: Kittle’s Korner (180 K)
- Twitch: gkittle46
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How many Pro Bowls has George Kittle made?
A: Five—2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Q2: What is Kittle’s contract worth?
A: 4-year, $76.4 million extension signed April 2025; $19.1 M per year average.
Q3: Is George Kittle married?
A: Yes, to Claire Till since April 2019.
Q4: Does he hold any NFL records?
A: Single-season tight-end receiving yards: 1,377 in 2018.
Q5: What number does George Kittle wear?
A: #85 for the San Francisco 49ers.
Conclusion
George Kittle’s blend of blue-collar grit and social-media charisma has elevated him from a fifth-round flyer to the face of NFL tight ends and the 49ers’ heartbeat. With $155 million in career earnings on the horizon, a Super-Bowl-sized chip on his shoulder and a marriage that proves love can survive the league’s grind, Kittle’s story is still being written—one pancake block and Goku cosplay at a time.
Share this stat-stuffed bio with every 49ers faithful or fantasy manager in your life!
