George Kittle Reacts to Aaron Rodgers Downplaying the MNF Matchup vs 49ers: “Just Great PR”

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is gearing up for the season opener against the Jets. His team will look to open the 2024 campaign with a decisive win but with Aaron Rodgers returning, it won’t be easy. Kittle talked about the game and Rodgers’ laid-back attitude with show host Kay Adams.

On the Up & Adams Show, Kay briefed Kittle on the discussion she had with Rodgers about the game. She revealed that while he was hyped about his return after almost a year, the veteran quarterback was trying to ‘downplay everything’ and never gave a straight answer to any of her questions about the game and the 49ers.

Kittle responded that Rodgers’s extensive experience playing at the top prepared him for situations where he needed to control his nerves and show the world a laid-back attitude to avoid any distractions. He said:

“I think what he’s doing is just great PR and he downplays it as much as he possibly can to limit the storylines and just so the Jets can go out there and focus on playing football and beating the 49ers.”

Rodgers is returning after missing last season (due to his Achilles injury) and would love to get the ball rolling. In 2022 (his last full season), the Jets star had 26 touchdowns and 3600+ yards in his name.

However, his anticipated return might not be glorious as the QB was absent during the team’s preseason campaign and might need a few games to get back in the right mindset.

Kittle also revealed that his interactions with Rodgers were limited and he only knew Rodgers through his former Packers teammates Mercedes Lewis and Robert Tonyan.

He added that he has a “massive amount of respect” for Rodgers and would like to know him and from what he has heard, Rodgers “sounds like an all-around nice guy.” However, how will Kittle and his squad stack up against the “nice guy” when they meet face-to-face next Monday?

Kittle is an MNF beast

Since 2017, Kittle has given some solid performances on Monday nights and with 4 touchdowns and 545 yards in 8 games has a strong receiving yard record. Notably in 2022, while playing against Arizona, he scored 2 touchdowns and ran 84 yards to help his team take a 38-10 victory.

Last year, Kittle gathered over 1000 yards in the regular season and would aim to keep his form in the season opener against the Jets. Rodgers’s return will give the Jets some hope of redemption but fighting an opponent like the 49ers will remain an uphill battle.