Photos: Tight end George Kittle with Iowa Hawkeyes, San Francisco 49ers

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 28: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after defeating the Detroit Lions 34-31 in the NFC Championship Game at Levi's Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 08: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with Brock Purdy #13 after a touchdown during the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium on October 08, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle celebrates with his wife Claire, after their win against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is tackled by Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton during the second half of the NFC Championship NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Jan 28, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) celebrates after a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the second half of the NFC Championship football game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 20: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after scoring a 32-yard touchdown during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Jan 28, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) reacts after a play against the Detroit Lions during the second half of the NFC Championship football game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Jan 19, 2020; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (left) and tight end George Kittle (right) celebrate after defeating the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Iowa senior George Kittle celebrates with the Heroes Trophy after beating Nebraska, 40-10. Kittle had two short TD receptions in the game despite playing through a mid-foot sprain that limited him in the second half of the football season.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz leads his players out of the tunnel at Penn State on Nov. 5. Pictured are three Hawkeyes expected to be drafted in the first four rounds in Jaleel Johnson (67), Desmond King (14) and George Kittle (46).

Iowa tight end George Kittle celebrates a touchdown against Iowa State last season. He may soon be celebrating an NFL contract after his performance in Saturday's scouting combine.

49ers tight end George Kittle celebrates with the George Halas Trophy.

Iowa tight end George Kittle runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 4, 2017.

Iowa tight end George Kittle delivered strong performances at the NFL Scouting Combine (pictured) and at the Hawkeyes' Pro Day.

Iowa tight end George Kittle will join the San Francisco 49ers, where he'll be reunited with Hawkeye teammate C.J. Beathard, a third-round pick by the Niners on Friday.

SANTA CLARA, CA - DECEMBER 09: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after a play against the Denver Broncos during their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on December 9, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)

Iowa tight end George Kittle tries to pull in a pass during the Hawkeyes' game against Northwestern at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016.

Iowa's Riley McCarron, left, celebrates his touchdown with George Kittle during the Hawkeyes' game against Northwestern at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016.

Iowa tight end George Kittle stiff-arms North Dakota State's Robbie Grimsley to complete a 37-yard play during their game at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016.

Iowa wide receiver George Kittle (46) runs the ball as he breaks away from the North Dakota State defense Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016 during the Hawkeyes game against the Bison at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City.

Iowa tight end George Kittle will be a wise NFL Draft choice for some team in April, one analyst believes.

Iowa senior George Kittle is honored prior to the Hawkeyes' game against Nebraska at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, Nov. 25, 2016.

Iowa's George Kittle (46) lifts running back Akrum Wadley after his touchdown during the Hawkeyes' game against Iowa State at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016.

Iowa tight end George Kittle pulls in a 9-yard touchdown pass during the Hawkeyes' game against Iowa State at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016.

Iowa's George Kittle (46) and Greg Mabin (13) get set to come out of the Beaver Stadium tunnel on Nov. 5. That was the last time either has played for the Hawkeyes; on Tuesday, each discussed their injury situation.

This is the first-quarter play in which Iowa tight end George Kittle was injured during the Oct. 15 win at Purdue.

George Kittle injured his right ankle in the first quarter of Saturday's win at Purdue.

Iowa's George Kittle (46) runs past Purdue's Leroy Clark during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016, in West Lafayette, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

George Kittle lunges for the end zone for a 22-yard gain during the first quarter of Iowa's win Saturday at Purdue. Kittle earlier this week was named to the midseason watch list for the Mackey Award, given to the nation's top tight end.

Iowa Hawkeyes tight end George Kittle (46) runs past Purdue Boilermakers safety Leroy Clark (3) at Ross Ade Stadium.

Sep 24, 2016; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes tight end George Kittle (46) celebrates his touchdown reception during the first half of their game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Points Solutions Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

Iowa Hawkeyes tight end George Kittle (46) catches a touchdown pass from Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback C.J. Beathard (16) (not shown) during the first half at High Points Solutions Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

Iowa tight end George Kittle stiff-arms North Dakota State's Robbie Grimsley to complete a 37-yard play during their game at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016.

Iowa tight end George Kittle, celebrating a touchdown against Purdue last season, is on the Mackey Award watch list.

Iowa's Tevaun Smith celebrates his 85-yard touchdown with George Kittle during the Hawkeyes' Big Ten Championship game against Michigan State at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015.

Iowa tight end George Kittle (46) celebrates his touchdown catch during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., Friday, Nov. 27, 2015.

Iowa's George Kittle is now a Sports Illustrated coverboy.

Iowa's George Kittle glances back as he runs in for a 35-yard touchdown during the Hawkeyes' game against Purdue at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015.

George Kittle leaps into the end zone against Indiana on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, in Bloomington, Ind.

Iowa Hawkeyes tight end George Kittle (46) and Iowa Hawkeyes tight end Henry Krieger Coble (80) celebrate a touchdown during the first half of the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium.

Iowa's George Kittle pulls in a deep pass during the Hawkeyes' game against Maryland at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015.

Iowa junior tight end George Kittle poses for a photo during the University of Iowa football team's media day on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015, in Iowa City, Iowa.

Iowa junior tight end George Kittle poses for a photo during the University of Iowa football team's media day on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015, in Iowa City, Iowa.

Ball State safety Brian Jones, right, breaks up a pass intended for Iowa tight end George Kittle during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014, in Iowa City, Iowa. Jones was called for interference on the play.

Iowa tight ends Henry Krieger Coble, from left, Jake Duzey, Ray Hamilton and George Kittle pose for a photo during Iowa football media day on Monday, Aug. 4, 2014.

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 07: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with fans after a win against the Cleveland Browns at Levi's Stadium on October 07, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

George Kittle (46) catches the ball as Malik Rucker (2) chases during the practice session at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City for Kids Day with the Iowa Football team on Saturday August 16, 2014. The day featured stadium tours, autograph signing, and a scrimage practice by the Hawkeyes as they prepare to open the 2014-2015 season against UNI on August 30th.

George Kittle is shown on Iowa's senior day in 2016 against Nebraska with his mom, Jan Krieger, and father, former Iowa lineman Bruce Kittle. George had two TD catches in that 40-10 Hawkeye win.

George Kittle, a future NFL star, scores the first touchdown of the game in Iowa's 28-20 win at Nebraska in 2015 that capped a 12-0 regular season.

The Iowa Hawkeyes George Kittle celebrates a touchdown during their game against North Texas at home on Saturday, September 26, 2015. Iowa would go on to win 62-16.

Iowa's Sam Brincks congratulates tight end George Kittle after his touchdown during the Hawkeyes' game against Illinois at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015.

SANTA CLARA, CA - DECEMBER 16: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers is tackled by Tedric Thompson #33 of the Seattle Seahawks after a catch during their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on December 16, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle celebrates after scoring during the second half in an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

FILE - In this Nov. 1, 2018, file photo, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle speaks at a news conference after an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders in Santa Clara, Calif. Now heading into the final game of the season, Kittle is in a battle with Kansas City's Travis Kelce in a race for the most productive season ever for a tight end. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) runs in front of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Haason Reddick (43) during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle holds off Los Angeles Rams cornerback Marcus Peters during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium.