Back in 1979, San Francisco 49ers head coach Bill Walsh went to the Clemson University campus to work out quarterback Steve Fuller. When Walsh arrived on campus, he called Fuller’s apartment. Fuller’s roommate, Dwight Clark was headed out the door to play golf but answered the phone. Walsh asked if he wanted to help with the workout. Walsh was impressed, and the rest as they say is history.
I’m not going to say the selection of Iowa tight end George Kittle is exactly the same story, but it is an interesting one. After the 49ers selected Kittle, he told local media that his first interaction with the 49ers came when QB coach Rich Scangarello came to town to work out C.J. Beathard.
“[T]he first time I talked to them was at, they came, the quarterback’s coach [Rich Scangarello] came to throw [49ers QB] C.J. Beathard and I was running routes for him and then the next day they called me to see if I wanted to come out for a visit and then I visited them last Tuesday and was there all day Wednesday. I had a great time. Great coaches, just great people and a great facility.”
Kittle said he and Beathard are great friends, and were roommates at one point. They’ve been together at Iowa for five years, and Kittle said, “I’ve caught every single one of his passes for the past five years. We’re a great combo and I’m just really looking forward to being back on the field with him.”
Again, I’m not going to say Kittle will turn into a 49ers legend like Dwight Clark, but it’s a cool similarity in discovery story.