George Kittle says QB1 is Brock Purdy’s ‘job to lose’
George Kittle is happy with whoever starts for the 49ers in 2023, while also hinting Tuesday that Brock Purdy still has the edge for QB1.
Watch: Brian Peacock Breaks Down The 49ers' Biggest Training Camp Questions | 23 mins
The San Francisco 49ers have had a revolving door of starting quarterbacks the last few years, it’s no secret.
Since 2017, seven different signal-callers have featured for the Red & Gold. Most recently, four different QBs played in a season, with Josh Johnson being the last to do so in the NFC Championship game.
Now in another offseason filled with uncertainty, All-Pro tight end George Kittle isn’t worried about who’s suiting up at the position.
“I think this is my fifth year in a row about QB questions in the offseason. It’s incredible. I wouldn’t want anything else,” Kittle said jokingly on Good Morning Football Tuesday.
49ers star tight end George Kittle has made a definitive stance on the QB battle between Brock Purdy and Trey Lance đź‘€ https://t.co/3BWiRh7JUH pic.twitter.com/xaMnU4bPWu
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 13, 2023
This offseason, San Francisco have three QBs vying for the top spot: Brock Purdy, Trey Lance and Sam Darnold. While all three gunslingers have their merits, the rumored “leader in the clubhouse” is still Purdy, despite recovering from offseason UCL surgery.
Kittle feels the same way, loving the progress that the others have made while Purdy is recovering. But when it comes down to it, it’s hard to dismiss what the former Mr.Irrelevant did last season.
“Brock Purdy won eight straight games and got hurt. So I think it’s just Brock’s job to lose at that point,” Kittle told Sports Illustrated Tuesday.
For now though, Lance and Darnold will battle it out for QB1. While the tight end likes what he’s seen from both, the former is seen as the 1A in camp right now, hoping he could be a starting QB in the NFL soon.
“Trey is a starter in the NFL,” George Kittle stated. “He will be. Get that guy some reps and he has an incredibly high ceiling…I think Trey’s definitely a starting quarterback. He just needs reps, that’s all it is.”
While the 49ers have come close to securing Super Bowl ring No.6 in recent years, Kittle & Co. feel confident that they can win it all with stellar QB play. But if it has to be a revolving door, that’s okay too, excited by the talent that the front office has put together in The Bay.
“Besides that, I think that [general manager] John Lynch and [head coach Kyle Shanahan] have done a great job of creating this roster with depth, he said. “Also, with players at multiple positions that whatever happens at the quarterback position, we have a chance to win a lot of football games.
“Yes, having a fantastic quarterback will help us out a lot because it’s the most important position in probably sports,” Kittle continued. “But, we have three or four guys right now that can sling the ball a little bit…The quarterbacks will get some reps in this training camp, get a feel for everybody and let’s just go play some football.”
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