49ers star George Kittle hosts 3rd annual Tight End University, putting focus on child literacy
NASHVILLE (KGO) -- NFL training camps begin at the end of the month and as San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle prepares for his 7th season, he kicked off his summer with the third annual Tight End University in Nashville, Tennessee.
"We just want to give guys more tools in their tool belt, so they can go to games. They understand what they're watching on film. So they have more things to do. More access to ideas," Kittle told ABC affiliate WKRN in Nashville.
Roughly 80 NFL players were in attendance for what is quickly becoming a household event. Most were tight ends, but there were several quarterbacks throwing passes including fellow 49ers teammates Trey Lance and Sam Darnold along with Buffalo Bills quarterback and Firebaugh native Josh Allen.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and longtime Panthers tight end Greg Olsen helped put on the camp with Kittle.
"Everybody that really like in the in the world doing important stuff. They all have conferences to make each other better and I think that was one of the things that we tried to do here is really just get everybody under the same roof," said Kelce. "Let's just talk about football to try and really, you know, enhance our position, enhance the game."
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Olsen who is now a NFL broadcaster, is recognized as one of the better tight ends to play in the last 25 years. Tight End University better known as "Tight End U" has grown in both size and sponsorship and got so big this year it was held on the campus of Vanderbilt University.
"A lot of these guys now of this generation, obviously led by these two guys (Kittle and Kelce), are just continuing to raise the bar of just how teams value the position and just how vital they are to a team's success," said Olsen.
While the summit of the NFL's tight ends provided a master's class for the football players, it also provided instruction and encouragement to youth campers on the importance of reading and literacy.
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"It's like you go on adventure in a book. You know, if you're sitting your house like you can go to some cool land and experience something new. So, it just kind of grows with your imagination," said Kittle. "So that's what we're doing, literacy and it's really cool because when you throw a football in, a bunch of kids talk about reading, kids are going to really enjoy it."
"Tight End U," a touchdown both on and off the field.
To learn more about Tight End University, click here.
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