The 2024 season didn't go as expected for the San Francisco 49ers, who began the year with Super Bowl aspirations. Instead, the team faced a string of injuries, finishing with a 6-11 record and missing the playoffs.
One of the few bright spots was George Kittle, the 49ers' six-time Pro Bowl and five-time All-Pro tight end. Kittle racked up an impressive 1,106 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, surpassing 1,000 receiving yards for the fourth time in his career and for the second consecutive season.
Despite the team's struggles, Kittle continued to build his Hall of Fame resume, securing the top spot in Pro Football Focus' tight end rankings.
"2024 was a nightmare for the injury-riddled 49ers, who failed to make the postseason one of the preseason favorites to hoist the Lombardi Trophy," wrote Pro Football Focus contributor Jim Wyman. "George Kittle was not one of their disappointments, however. Not only was he the highest-graded tight end overall, but he was also the only tight end to earn a PFF receiving grade of at least 90.0 (92.4)."
Kittle finished the season with a 92.1 offensive grade from Pro Football Focus, outpacing the next-closest tight end, Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals, who earned an 86.8 mark.
For years, the debate over the NFL's best tight end has centered on Kittle and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs. But Kittle's impact goes beyond his receiving ability. In addition to being a reliable target for quarterback Brock Purdy, Kittle has proven himself to be a key contributor to the blocking game.
Wyman's assessment of Kittle's multi-faceted skill set led him to call the 49ers star the NFL's best all-around tight end.
"He also garnered the position's second-best PFF run-blocking grade (70.8)," Wyman noted. "There is no better all-around tight end in the NFL than Kittle."
Along with this recognition, Pro Football Focus recently ranked Kittle as the 13th-best player in the NFL, also labeling him as the top all-around tight end in the league.
Pro Football Focus also highlighted Kittle's 2024 achievements, noting, "His 2024 season featured a career-high 70.6% contested catch rate and a 2.62 yards per route run mark—his best since 2020."