It is the middle of the NFL offseason, which means that players have several weeks to relax and maybe play some golf before it is time for them to report for OTAs.
The Masters began Thursday in Augusta, Georgia, and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins joined San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle at the tournament.
Cousins said the team to beat in the NFC is still the 49ers, the defending conference champs, per NFL on ESPN.
“Everybody’s kind of looking up at the Niners right now in the NFC. So, if we’re gonna go anywhere we’ve got to get through [George Kittle.]” 😅
—Kirk Cousins and George Kittle join @LauraRutledge at #TheMasters. pic.twitter.com/bApunfctLQ
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 11, 2024
Kittle’s Niners suffered a heartbreaking overtime loss in Super Bowl LVIII to the Kansas City Chiefs, and what made it even more painful was the fact that it was their second loss in the big game to Patrick Mahomes and crew in the last five seasons.
In both those losses, San Francisco held a 10-point lead at one time, only to watch it disappear.
If Kansas City’s Travis Kelce isn’t the league’s best tight end, then Kittle probably is, and he had a great 2023 by posting 65 catches for 1,020 yards and six touchdowns.
He earned his fifth Pro Bowl nod and second selection to the All-Pro First Team as a result of his production.
As Kittle noted, the Niners’ offense has remained intact so far this offseason, as has most of the core of their defense, which means they won’t have to spend time building chemistry with each other.
Instead, it will be a matter of staying healthy and finding a way to neutralize Mahomes in key situations, should they find themselves facing him yet again in the Super Bowl.
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