George Kittle gets (yet another) accolade. The San Francisco 49ers tight end has been named to the second-team AP All-Pro after his monster 2018 season. Kittle finished the season breaking several 49ers team records and also walking away with the NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end in a single season with 1,377 yards.
I’ll get right to the elephant in the room: Kittle made the second team. This is after breaking team records in receptions for a tight end in a single season, receiving yards by a tight end in a single season, and the aforementioned NFL record. He also came within five yards of breaking Shannon Sharpe’s record for most receiving yards by a tight end in a single game.
But he’s second team. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is the first team. I understand the argument for Kelce. The offense he’s played in has made him a touchdown factory for 2018. He also was the first to break Rob Gronkowski’s record for receiving yards by a tight end only for Kittle to break it an hour or so later.
So Kelce getting the nod is understandable. Between the two, I am somewhat in the middle on who should get the first-team nod. Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz also broke the NFL reception record in 2018 for tight ends and he’s not even mentioned on the AP All-Pro team at all. There’s only two slots and three amazing tight ends, each with their own body of work to consider.
In any case, Kittle has still put together an impressive second season. Being second-team All-Pro is an achievement in and of itself, especially when you think about Ertz not even making the team (and there’s a strong case to be made he should at least be second team and Kittle not on it at all).
Where do you come out on this? Should Kittle have made first team? Why?