Netflix struck gold with their “Quarterback” series last year, giving fans an up-close look at the 2022 season through the eyes of Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, and Marcus Mariota. Eager to build on this success, they’ve now set their sights on a new series called “Receivers,” showcasing the league’s top wide receivers and tight ends. But it turns out, this wasn’t their first choice for a follow-up.
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San Francisco 49ers‘ star tight end, George Kittle, recently spilled some behind-the-scenes info on the “Bussin with the Boys” podcast. According to Kittle, Netflix initially wanted to do another season of “Quarterback,” but hit a wall when teams weren’t keen on the idea.
“They weren’t getting a lot of support from around the league. A lot of teams said no, our quarterback is not going to do it, so they pivoted to ‘Receivers’.” Kittle explained.
George Kittle’s revelation was similar to some reports suggesting teams were not comfortable having cameras around their QBs and potentially disrupting the team atmosphere. Moreover, with the NFL packed full of young stars, many of these up-and-comers wanted to keep their personal lives under wraps as they established themselves in the league.
The conversation took an intriguing turn as Kittle divulged his own experience with the Netflix production team. He recounted receiving a call just 10 days before the 2023 season opener, outlining plans to mic him up during games and follow him with cameras before and after matchups. The proposal even included filming segments at his home to capture his off-field life.
After weighing the demands of such an undertaking throughout an entire season, Kittle ultimately declined to participate. The star tight end admitted feeling “weird” about the whole proposition, adding that his “football gods” didn’t give him the right signals at first.
What Persuaded Kittle to Say Yes to Netflix’s “Receiver” Series?
The 49ers tight end then shared the compelling reasons that ultimately led him to embrace Netflix’s “Receivers” series. Prior to receiving the call from Netflix, Kittle hadn’t watched their “Quarterback” series. However, upon viewing it, he was impressed by the network’s portrayal of the featured quarterbacks, offering fans an intimate glimpse into their lives both on and off the field.
Kittle was particularly struck by the positive publicity Kirk Cousins got from the show. “Kirk is a fantastic person, great sense of humor, family guy, like everyone fell in love with him,” Kittle remarked as he understood the show’s ability to humanize its featured players.
Kittle’s hesitation diminished even further when he learned Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions was at the helm of the show, alongside the NFL itself.
“It’s like it’s run by Peyton and NFL. So, anything that you weren’t a huge fan of, you don’t have to put it in there,” He continued.
Moreover, it was Kittle’s wife, Claire, who really sealed the deal with a perspective that tugged at his heartstrings. She painted a picture of the future that Kittle couldn’t resist. Imagine, she said, being able to look back on this experience years down the line, sharing these captured moments with their kids. It was this sentimental angle that really made Kittle feel he should go ahead with it.
As the season unfolded, Kittle found himself genuinely enjoying the process of being mic’d up and having cameras around. It added a new dimension to his season, knowing that fans would get a deeper look into his world.
