George Kittle caught six passes for 133 yards during his first two seasons at Iowa. But things changed in his final two seasons with the Hawkeyes, as the tight end grabbed 42 passes for 604 yards and 10 touchdowns.
So, what led to Kittle's emergence? The now-49ers star credits LeVar Woods, Iowa's tight ends coach at the time.
On Tuesday, a few hours after Kittle was named to NFL Network's Top 100 Players of 2019 list, Woods posted a photo of a signed Pro Bowl jersey that the tight end sent him.
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The message that Kittle wrote is moving.
"Coach Woods, Thank you for helping me take advantage of every opportunity in my last two years of college. Without your guidance and friendship, I would not be where I am today. You helped me achieve one of my dreams. Always remember that you have an incredibly positive voice and infectious personality. I wish we could have played together. You will always ben an honorary tight end!"
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Following Kittle's senior season, the 49ers used a 2017 fifth-round draft pick on him, and he had a breakout sophomore season in San Francisco.
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Kittle's record-breaking 2018 led to his first Pro Bowl selection. He's the only 49ers offensive player to make NFL Network's list.
It's good to see a star player not forgetting where he came from and who helped him reach such heights.