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San Francisco 49ers superstar tight end George Kittle divulged this week that he may have done something with WWE this year if not for the fact that he had to undergo surgery this offseason.
According to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, Kittle noted that he had to undergo core muscle surgery, which prevented him from following up on his WrestleMania 39 involvement from last year.
Kittle, who is a longtime pro wrestling fan, got involved in an impromptu match between The Miz and former NFL punter Pat McAfee at WrestleMania 39. The Miz pushed Kittle, who was siting in the front row, prompting Kittle to jump the barricade and clothesline The Miz.
In speaking with Raimondi, Kittle noted that he would have considered doing something similar at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia if he could have, but it wasn’t in the cards due to his health.
Instead, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce and current Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson helped Rey Mysterio and Andrade win a tag team match against Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio.
Kittle, like most NFL players, has language in his contract that punishes him for injuries suffered while doing sporting activities outside of football.
The five-time Pro Bowler and two-time First Team All-Pro noted that while getting hurt while wrestling would force him to forfeit a $100,000 workout bonus, he would be more apt to ask for forgiveness rather than permission when it comes to doing something in the realm of wrestling.
Even with his love for wrestling and penchant for getting involved, Kittle noted that he considers himself someone who plays it safe with regard to non-football activities, saying:
“I honestly am one of probably the safest guys. I don’t do anything.
“I might occasionally be in a wrestling ring, but I’m not doing too much. I’m very aware football is everything, and so I don’t even try to go skiing and stuff like that. That’s not even on my mind.”
At 30 years of age, Kittle is still playing tight end at an elite level, as he finished the 2023 season with 65 receptions for 1,020 yards and six touchdowns as a member of a Niners team that reached the Super Bowl.
That suggests his NFL career won’t be ending any time soon, but once it does, it seems likely that WWE would welcome him with open arms and be more than willing to mold him into a legitimate wrestler.
WWE has long pursued celebrity involvement in its product, including helping the likes of YouTuber Logan Paul and musician Bad Bunny develop into actual WWE Superstars in recent love.
Given his passion for wrestling and his rare athletic ability, all signs point toward Kittle potentially becoming an excellent pro wrestler if and when he decides to pursue it.
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