San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle hinted at a potential reunion with wide receiver Deebo Samuel months before reports emerged that Samuel would rejoin the franchise for the 2026 season.
During an interview with Sports Illustrated in February, Kittle addressed the squad's outlook and prospective roster moves.
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"Hey, if a rebuild year got us 13 wins and a win in the wild card, that's pretty good," said Kittle.
The veteran tight end expressed optimism regarding the team's future roster composition.
"It's only going to get a little bit better from that and all the boys are coming back again and, who knows, we might add some past friends," said Kittle.
Kittle mentioned that he had recently spent time with the receiver, who was originally selected by San Francisco in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
"I hung out with Deebo last night," said Kittle.
He further emphasized his personal affection for his former teammate after their time together.
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"That was fun. I love Deebo, are you kidding me?"
said Kittle.
When questioned specifically about the possibility of Samuel returning to San Francisco, Kittle offered a direct reply.
"I love Deebo," said Kittle.
He then reaffirmed his stance regarding the wide receiver.
"That's all, I love Deebo," said Kittle.
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Former teammate Kyle Juszczyk and Kittle also joked about providing guest houses for Samuel on a July 18 Instagram post, prior to Kittle celebrating the official reunion reports on X.
