George Kittle says 49ers-Cowboys rivalry reminds him of his dad and insists Christian McCaffrey can win MVP

George Kittle thinks of his father and The Catch every time that the San Francisco 49ers play the Dallas Cowboys. 

The 49ers tight end exclusively told talkSPORT this week that memories of his NFL draft day in 2017 return when one of the league’s best rivalries resumes. 

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Kittle loves the rivalry between the 49er and the Cowboys[/caption]

“My dad told me a story,” Kittle said. “He remembers the day, the place where he was, who he was with, when the 49ers beat the Cowboys in the playoffs with The Catch. It was like the first thing he ever told me about the Niners.  

“I just thought that was cool because that’s like one of the most historic, memorable moments in 49ers history. And just for my dad, who’s my best friend, to kind of share that with me was really special.

“So that’s what I always think about when I think about the Cowboys and the 49ers is that play.”

Dwight Clark hauled in an era-defining touchdown pass from Joe Montana in the 1981 NFC Championship Game that ended with 28 points for Bill Walsh’s 49ers and 27 points for Tom Landry’s Cowboys. 

On this week’s Sunday Night Football, the 49ers (4-0) host the Cowboys (3-1) in an intriguing contest with early season playoff implications. 

San Francisco has rolled through the initial part of its 2023 schedule and is one of only two remaining undefeated teams in the league. 

“The mood’s good,” Kittle said. “Winning fixes everything. Winning cures everything — that’s what I’ve learned while being in the NFL.  

“But the fun thing about this team is we expect to win every single game that we play in and this year we believe it.” 

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Dwight Clark pulled down one of the most famous catches in NFL history[/caption]

While some insist that every game is the same, Kittle took the opposite route. 

He knows when the 49ers play the Cowboys because of the increased intensity that surrounds his team.  

“Definitely feel the history and the energy around it,” Kittle said. “You feel it from the fans. You see it on social media, from media in person in your interviews.” 

Running back Christian McCaffrey has been at the heart of San Francisco’s perfect start. 

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Dak Prescott has another chance to prove himself in the biggest game of the week[/caption]

McCaffrey was praised by LeBron James last week and is an early season MVP candidate. 

But can a non-quarterback win the award for the top player in the league? 

“I saw something that J.J. Watt said a couple weeks ago about the quarterback is the most important position in football and that’s the reason that quarterbacks should win MVP every single year,” Kittle said.

“But when you’re putting up stats like Christian McCaffrey is, it’s kind of hard to say that he’s not in MVP contention as well, because you see what he’s doing with the ball in the run game, you see what he’s doing in the pass game.” 

Kittle added that no one else in the NFL is doing what McCaffrey is right now and he’s proud to block for him.  

“Christian for MVP,” Kittle said. “I’m always down for that.” 

Then there’s 49ers QB Brock Purdy, who recently revealed that he still has a roommate because San Francisco is so expensive to live in. 

“I still have a roommate, one of my offensive lineman here,” Purdy said. “So, he and I are still splitting rent. I still drive my Toyota Sequoia and, other than that, it’s pretty simple.”

Kittle said he understands Purdy’s reasoning and his second-year QB, who was the last player drafted in 2022, is doing just fine.  

“He’s doing some commercials and stuff now, too, so he’s doing all right,” Kittle said.

“But the thing is, you want to have a roommate — it keeps you humble. So that’s good for Purdy.”