STATELINE, Nev. — A giddy George Kittle signed a slew of No. 85 jerseys 49ers’ fans wore in the growing gallery. He posed for pictures, threw autographed footballs to beachcombers on the 17th-hole shoreline and simply became an immediate fan favorite.
This was his grand entrance to the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament.
But first, he started a picturesque, sunny day at Lake Tahoe in pure Kittle fashion: “Oh my gosh, I was in the water this morning at 6. It was great.”
He’d never played Edgewood Tahoe Golf Resort until Thursday’s pro-am, and his hunched-over putting stance paid off with a 16th-hole birdie.
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle plays Thursday, July 10, 2025 in the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament’s pro-am at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Resort. (Cam Inman/Bay Area News Group)
Kittle will tee off in Friday’s first round at 8:45 a.m. with NFL alumni Larry Fitzgerald Jr. and Dwight Freeney, while 49ers teammate Kyle Juszczyk goes off the back nine at 8:43 a.m. with Jerome Bettis and Marcus Allen.
After the tournament concludes Sunday, Kittle will fly back to his Nashville-area home for a five-day refueling before a return flight to California for his ninth training camp with the 49ers; July 22 is when all veterans must report.
Kittle is the most prolific tight end in 49ers history and trails only Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens for most receptions and receiving yards; Kittle’s 538 receptions are 55 shy of passing Owens for the No. 2 spot behind Rice (1,281).
“I’m excited that the boys are healthy going into training camp, and I’m excited to see our new defense,” Kittle said. “Actually, I’m excited to go against (defensive coordinator Robert) Saleh again. That will be really fun.”
Not so fun was last season’s 6-11 plummet off the NFC throne and this offseason’s exodus of over 20 players. Only a few of the departures were on offense, though, including wide receiver Deebo Samuel (traded to Washington) and guard Aaron Banks (signed with Green Bay).
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Said Kittle: “Deebo’s Deebo and will always be amazing. Aaron Banks played really, really well for us but I’m excited about Ben Bartch because I love him as a guy. I’m just looking forward to guys taking advantage of the opportunities because we lost some guys. I still feel like we should be able to score points.”
The tournament’s marquee attraction is 2023 tournament champion Steph Curry, although Kittle hinted that fellow tight end Travis Kelce could upstage everyone if his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, makes a cameo like she did earlier this month at Tight End University that Kittle and Kelce hosted in Nashville.
“You never know what Travis can do,” Kittle said. “He’s an interesting cat and he is kind of a magician that pulls anything out of his sleeve.”
Just don’t expect Swift to show up in the gallery.
“Oh my goodness, she’ll probably be in a helicopter,” Kittle said with a laugh.