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  6. article_body => "<p>As far as comparisons go for an NFL tight end, former Patriots standout Rob Gronkowski is about as good as it gets.<\/p>\n<p>The University of Arizona product won three Super Bowls and caught 79 touchdowns in nine seasons with New England, before surprisingly hanging up his cleats after the 2018 season.<\/p>\n<p>Gronkowski recently joined Fox Sports as an NFL analyst, and offered his thoughts on George Kittle\u2019s impact with the 49ers.<\/p>\n<p><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Rob Gronkowski on George Kittle: \u201cHe reminds me of myself\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/49ers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#49ers<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/c5Axct2PFf\">pic.twitter.com\/c5Axct2PFf<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Dylan DeSimone (@DylanADeSimone) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DylanADeSimone\/status\/1182477555292499968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 11, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n<p>\u201cHe reminds me of myself,\u201d Gronkowski said. \u201cWhenever he gets the ball he just wants to go all the way to the end zone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The comparison is justified, as Kittle busted onto the scene in 2018 after finishing with over 1,300 yards receiving and five touchdowns despite playing more than half of his games with a pair of backup quarterbacks. 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo --&nbsp;who played with Gronkowski in New England --&nbsp;has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/49ers\/jimmy-garoppolo-calls-george-kittle-very-similar-rob-gronkowski\" target=\"_blank\">also drawn parallels<\/a> between the two.<\/p>\n<p><strong>[RELATED:<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/49ers\/why-george-kittle-believes-49ers-can-compete-short-handed-vs-rams\" target=\"_blank\">Kittle believes 49ers can compete short-handed vs. Rams<\/a><strong>]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kittle also exudes a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/49ers\/watch-george-kittle-49ers-go-crazy-wwe-smackdown-chase-center\" target=\"_blank\">fun-loving personality<\/a> off-the-field similar to Gronk, and has embraced his newfound fame with San Francisco.<\/p>\n<p>If Kittle truly can start to mimic Gronkowski\u2019s production with the 49ers, there might be some hardware coming back to the Bay in the future.<\/p>\n"
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49ers

49ers

As far as comparisons go for an NFL tight end, former Patriots standout Rob Gronkowski is about as good as it gets.

The University of Arizona product won three Super Bowls and caught 79 touchdowns in nine seasons with New England, before surprisingly hanging up his cleats after the 2018 season.

Gronkowski recently joined Fox Sports as an NFL analyst, and offered his thoughts on George Kittle’s impact with the 49ers.

“He reminds me of myself,” Gronkowski said. “Whenever he gets the ball he just wants to go all the way to the end zone.”

The comparison is justified, as Kittle busted onto the scene in 2018 after finishing with over 1,300 yards receiving and five touchdowns despite playing more than half of his games with a pair of backup quarterbacks. 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo -- who played with Gronkowski in New England -- has also drawn parallels between the two.

[RELATED: Kittle believes 49ers can compete short-handed vs. Rams]

Kittle also exudes a fun-loving personality off-the-field similar to Gronk, and has embraced his newfound fame with San Francisco.

 

If Kittle truly can start to mimic Gronkowski’s production with the 49ers, there might be some hardware coming back to the Bay in the future.