George Kittle Says He Wants Jimmy Garoppolo to Be 49ers' QB Amid Trade Rumors

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle wants one player to throw him his passes in 2021—the one they already have in position to do so. 

In an appearance on the 10 Questions podcast with Kyle Brandt of The Ringer, Kittle said he wants Jimmy Garoppolo to be his quarterback. 

Kittle's comments came before the 49ers traded with the Miami Dolphins to move up to the No. 3 overall pick in this year's NFL draft, which puts them in position to draft a franchise quarterback. 

Both players have been with the 49ers since 2017, though Kittle—a fifth-round pick out of Iowa that year—has seen much more action, missing just three games throughout his first three seasons before he was limited to eight games in 2020. Garoppolo has appeared in just 31 games through three-and-a-half seasons with the team. 

Kittle also acknowledged the reality that the 49ers could have drafted a quarterback in the first round, even though they were originally slated to pick at No. 12.

"I trust in Kyle [Shanahan] and John [Lynch]," Kittle told Brandt. "They're trying to do whatever they can to make the team better, so whether that's competition, it is what it is. I don't really have a say in it. I'm just gonna show up. I'm gonna try to do my job to the best of my ability and support whoever's on my team." 

Lynch said in February that he wanted to draft a more reliable backup behind Garoppolo (h/t Matt Barrows of The Athletic). But the move up to No. 3 gives them the chance to select a league-ready starter from the likes of Ohio State's Justin Fields, BYU's Zach Wilson, Alabama's Mac Jones or North Dakota State's Trey Lance—and that's assuming Jacksonville goes with Trevor Lawrence at No. 1. 

But even if they do select the future franchise star, they could do what the Green Bay Packers did with Jordan Love, who was drafted No. 26 overall pick out of Utah State last season but sat the whole season behind Aaron Rodgers.